Fascinating
by XDarkxStormxCloudsX
Summary: Samantha Hunter moves to Haines, Alaska. She has caught the curious eyes of the Cullen. Will she figure out what they are? EdwardxOC, slight BellaxJacob, T-for some language. DISCONTINUED
1. Chapter 1

this is the prologue but it was originally gunna be chapter one but its up early to appease my Twilight addicted mother because now she reads my stories and such and shes been buggin me to update lol

Disclaimer-i only own Samantha Hunter, Emily and Scott Stevenson, the plot and any other OCs, i wished i owned EDward though ;_;

please reveiw

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prologue-

Edward Cullen thought that a vampire could only love once in their never ending life. He believed that Isabella Swan was the only creature that he would ever be able to love unconditionally. He left the one human he was ever infatuated with for reasons of logic. He was dangerous to her. Her life was constantly in jeopardy because of him. Edward loved Bella; if someone loves and cares about another person, then they would want to keep them safe, common sense, right? He was wrong though. People, human and vampire alike, aren't restricted to only loving once.

Little did Edward know that a certain unique human, that would soon catch the attention of a particular future predicting pixie-like Cullen family member, is currently in the backseat of a SUV car traveling to Haines, Alaska. Her name is Samantha Hunter. This sixteen year old currently travels with her best friend, Emily Stevenson and her older brother Scott Stevenson.

"Oh my God, Samantha you were so right! Going to Wawa was way better than going to 7-11!" exclaims Emily as she shoves a hero into her red glossy lips, slightly smearing the makeup.

"I told you so," Samantha says as she drizzles the orange French dressing from the packet onto her custom made salad. She glances at the animals beside her in the car seat. One, an Australian Sheep dog, which was sleeping comfortably next to her owner, her name is Jorgette. The brown haired teen adopted her 6 years ago from a pound. Next to Jorgette was the black Labrador puppy Fabio, whose owner was the Stevenson siblings. To say it simply, Fabio is retarded. He is always just a little too happy. Fabio was trying to catch his tail while running in circles on the seat at the moment.

"I still say that Taco Bell is better," grumbles Scott.

"You have got to be kidding me. Scott you are so stupid and have no taste. Wawa is like a mini supermarket. Its got 'make your own milkshakes'," she shakes her cup as evidence, "it's got make your own salads, sandwiches, breakfast meals, and its got those apples with caramel dipping sauce stuff things that Samantha got and some grapes in a container and tampons of all kinds, and so much candy bars and granola bars and pop-tarts…" Emily rambles feverishly until Scott interrupts her.

"But there weren't any 'make your own tacos' now were there!" The two argue on as Samantha stabs a cucumber with the white plastic fork.

"No, but nobody even likes tacos!"

"Who doesn't like tacos?!" Samantha raises her hand while chewing some lettuce. Emily flashes her a glossy smile. "Aw come on Sam! You so lie!" Scott stares at the girl in the back seat with wide, bright hazel eyes through the rearview mirror. Emily's unnaturally tan fist punches Scott's muscular shoulder. "Ow! What the hell!?"

"Stop calling her Sam you stupid loser!" Samantha closes her eyes and shakes her head. These two are so repetitive.

"That's her name though!"

"It's SA-MAN-THA! Numb-skull," Emily pronounciates rolls her light milky chocolate brown eyes that were surrounded by glittering dust of gold and green and thick black lashes. Her perfectly spray tan skin cheeks were coated artistically in rose blush. And her full lips were gloriously covered in jungle red lipstick and clear strawberry scented lip gloss. Her hair is a beautiful strawberry blonde that has a length that is to her lower back with perfectly curled bangs. Basically, Emily Stevenson is a goddess, a beautiful, beautiful goddess. Samantha's dark blue eyes look to Scott. If his sister was a goddess then he was a god with his perfect athletic tall muscular body, bright green eyes, perfect short blonde spiky hair and perfect spray tan; yes, just like his sister, his tan is artificial.

The Stevenson siblings were perfect children created by perfect parents Karen and Kevin Stevenson. Karen was simply gorgeous with fire red hair with perfect complexion and striking green eyes. Kevin was the exact duplicate of Scott except his eyes were deep chocolate brown. Not only were the Stevenson family beautiful, but they were wealthy. Karen was a real estate agent while Kevin was a surgeon, both being the best in their fields of occupation. Scott inherited the Stevenson fortune the moment Karen and Kevin were pronounced dead since he is the legal age. Samantha's eyes grow nostalgic as she stares outside the window of the car at the new moon as a dreadful memory plagues her thoughts

_"Samantha darling wake up!" Renee whispers sharply as she rustles the 7 year old out of her bed. The child's blue eyes show confusion as she is whisked away by her curly brown haired mother across the hallway into her bedroom. "Samantha, stay here, and whatever you do, do not say a word or make a sound." Renee puts Samantha into the bedroom closet and throws some clothing to cover her. Jorgette scurries into the closet and huddles on top of Samantha in a protective manner. Suddenly a gun shot is heard and Renee's head whips around. She then slams the closet door shut and runs to the bedroom door. Samantha sits absolutely still and stares at the blackness that she has been consumed in while she listens to the scuffling of her mother and another unknown being in the room. Then there is a loud gun shot, causing Samantha to jump and hug onto Jorgette._

"Hey Sam," the girl looks to the rearview mirror.

"Ya?"

"Whatsdamatta with Fabio, he's acting kinda strange" Samantha looks to her right and sees that oh too familiar look on the puppy's face.

"Uh-oh. Um, yeah, Scott, pull over, Fabio's gotta use the John," she says as she adjusts herself and her food items while she searches for the leashes.

"Oh hell no Fabio, not in my car!" Scott swerves from the left lane of the highway across the two middle lanes to reach the right lane; horns blaring in the background and lights flashing.

"Jesus Christ Scott! What the hell are you doing!??!" Emily screams as everyone braces themselves in the car. Scott pulls over onto the grass and unlocks the doors.

"Sam, get the dogs out of my car! I don't want any accidents!" Samantha gathers the dogs' leashes and rushes out of the car. The teen groans as the howling freezing wind blows across her side making her stumble slightly. While being pushed one way by the wind, Fabio pulls her in the direction towards the woods while barking madly.

"No, no, no, no, no, no..." Samantha pleads as Fabio yanks on the leash bucking up, trying to run; Jorgette stays obediently by her owner. "Fabio! Stop! No! Fabio bad! Bad Fabio!" Samantha yells pulling back on the leash. Since when did Fabio get so strong? Unexpectedly the not so little puppy stops and looks back to Samantha, tongue hanging out of his mouth. It's as if the horrendous wind has no affect on him, it's as if it's not even there. The blue eyed sixteen year old cocks her head to the side in bewilderment, Fabio never stands still. Suddenly Fabio breaks off into a sprint, the leash ripping from Samantha's frozen fingers. "Gah! No Fabio come back!" Samantha yells as Jorgette barks, both calling for Fabio. Samantha groans and rolls her eyes as she holds her black hood over her head with one of her hands and she unleashes Jorgette with the other. The two start to run into the forest while Samantha texts Emily that Fabio has run off, yet again.

Samantha follows the brown, black, and white dog as she follows the scent of Fabio. While back in the black SUV Scott anxiously waits for Samantha to return.

"Jeez what is up with you?" Emily asks, preoccupied with her nails.

"I don't like it that Sam's out in the woods lookin for Fabio in the dark," he says, looking out the passenger's window, looking for signs of life.

"She's fine Scott, how many times has Fabio run off and she and her dog found him. It's like their job to find Fabio whenever he goes missing," She states calmly. "And besides, why are you so worried?" Emily eyes him out of the corner of her painted eyes.

"Psh! I just don't want to miss the ferry," he states gruffly, his voice confident, his eyes apprehensive.

"Fabioooooo!!!" Samantha yells at the top of her lungs. She sighs and crouches down next to Jorgette and hugs her around her collar. Luckily, the wind has died down considerably. "Come on, let's trudge forth ward," Jorgette leads the way obediently, following the sent of the black Labrador dog. The sky has darkened since she started on her quest to find the lost puppy as the animal and human hike up the mountain, unsuspectingly heading towards the hunting territory of the Klondike Gold Rush Historic National Park.


	2. Chapter 2

ok, this is like a second prologue written from the perspective of the cullen family. after this chapter it'll be from Samantha's POV and im gunna try writing in the first person POV.

oh, i am a die hard Twilight fan, loved the books, loved the movie (saw it fours times cough!) yes, i have been critical about it myself, and aside from all of the negatives of the movie, i still loved it! um...i love the twilight soundtrack...and chya thats it oh! omg look its an Edward Cullen Crooked Smile Emotion icon!!!!! (L=) haha omg isnt that AMAZING!!?!??!?!!

oh, and i didnt reread this one and check it as much as i usually do, so i apologize ahead of time for any grammatical errors

oh, oooone more thing: I totally support BellaxEdward, i love them, but i wanted to make this =] And i hate Jacob for trying to take Bella away from Edward, but i love him because he's sooo funny and adorable. Im on Team Edward, im a total fangirl, hehe. Edward can do no wrong ^_^hehe

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Cullen Prologue.

"Carlisle," Alice gasps barely above a whisper. As soon as she returned to the present, she was off, gracefully sprinting from their new home into the forest. Her adopted father was beside her in seconds as the two of them were traveling through the woodland.

"What did you see?" he asks calmly, trying to comprehend her urgent expression.

"Edward; a human girl is lost in the woods right by where he and the other's are hunting," she explains in her high thrilling voice.

"How much time?" he asks, speeding up, this was not what his son needed at this time. Edward did not need the guilt of murdering a human right after he made the decision to leave Bella in Forks for her own safety, to prevent the very situation that they are trying to avert.

"We'll make it there with no time to spare, but we will make it there, we have to," the smallest of the Cullen family says.

"So Edward, couldn't find any mountain lions?" Emmett snickers as he wipes the blood from his mouth with the back of his sleeve, leaving crimson smears on his jacket which was already covered in blood. Edward rolls his dark nearly golden eyes.

"On the contrary, I did, I just don't eat savagely like some do." Jasper laughs quietly at Emmett's expense, while the dark haired vampire makes insulting faces towards Edward and mimicking him. Edward ignores Emmett's adolescent antics and challenging thoughts. "I think perhaps one more kill should be enough?" he inquires to his brothers, "Then we can meet up with Rosalie and Esmé." The three agree then head off in the direction of a small gather of grazing animals.

Edward was the first to reach the small clearing; before him a large male moose. The red-brown haired vampire planned on waiting for his brothers but he heard their plans changed for they caught wind of two grizzly bears, Emmett's favorite. Edward shrugs as he refocuses on his prey, knowing Emmett and Jasper were going to play with their dinner. The moose was enormous and unsuspecting of its soon awaiting death. Edward slowly stalks his prey, drawing out the suspense, his throat burned for its blood; he could taste his own venom in his mouth. Edward's eyes darted all over the moose's brown body, deciding were he would sink his teeth. His mind ran wild, nearly tasting the blood of the animal as he envisioned piercing the warm, vulnerable flesh of the jugular of the moose and then tasting the even warmer smooth liquid blood that would soon sooth the burning of thirst coming from his own throat. Edward crouched lower to the ground, bared his dangerous white weapons, a deep quiet rumble erupted from the depths of his chest as he sprang into action. It took him only three powerful catlike strides to cross the clearing and to reach the moose. Edward gracefully tackled it to the dirt with his massive strength and teeth that had punctured the moose's throat at first contact. The blood was just as Edward anticipated; warm, soothing, and delicious. It cured the burning in his throat and satisfied it enough by draining the moose completely.

Edward stands up and wipes the small bit of blood dripping from the corner of his mouth with his pale white thumb. He chuckles at the irony at how many vampire movies he's seen where the vampire wipes the blood from the corner of his or her mouth after they have sucked the blood from their victims. He puts his thumb in his mouth, not wanting to waste the blood. The breeze changes direction, a normal occurrence that Edward would pay no mind to on an ordinary day, but today, of all of the days that he's been neither completely alive nor completely dead, there was something different about the breeze. The scent, ever so faint that it was, hit him as if Emmett threw him into the mountain side. Edward's golden eyes darkened slightly as they widened. The scent was very sweet, not overly sweet though as it possessed a sensual amount of spicy-ness to it. He could barely taste the aroma in the air and it tasted like nothing ever before; it was exotic, like it came from another land, another world. Subconsciously Edward started walking towards the scent, following its sensuality, its calming affect that washed over him as he continued to inhale the mind numbing scent. He needed more. He needed to be closer to the alluring perfume. He needed to taste more of the fragrance. He needed to taste where the smell originated from. The scent was undoubtedly from a human. Edward's mind went into frenzy at the thought.

Before he realized it himself, Edward was running at a leisurely pace, following the aroma. Images clouded his better judgment. He saw himself playing a game of cat and mouse with the delicate luscious human. He would scare her, make some growls, and cause her to run in fear. Edward smirked as he jogged, in taking the sweet, sweet scent; he knew the human was female, a young female, the scent reeked deliciously feminine. It was odd how the comprehension of his prey being female made the anticipation of the hunt to come, blurred his knowledge of right from wrong. Why did it matter that his kill was female? It had never mattered before, but never before had this particular victim have such an alluring scent. Edward envisioned a girl running through the dark green shrubbery, her heart racing, eyes wide of fear, and her scent flowing freely through the air. He would be trailing her on all sides, flying through the trees, never once his hungry eyes leaving her. Then at the perfect moment, he would stop her in her tracks, meet her head on, the terror of the girl's face would feed his hunger, making the thirst burn outrageously. She would back up, in a silent, immobile panic and eventually she would hit her back against a tree, cliché but it would happen. He would silently creep closer; just a hairline would be separating Edward's ice cold body to the girl's warm, blood filled soon to be corpse. He would cage her in place. Air would fill her lungs but would get caught because she would be too afraid, too filled with fright the scream; not that anyone would hear, they were in the middle of a dense forest, making this all the more perfect, no witnesses . Then he would inhale her addictive scent, enjoying her jagged breaths. He would find the pulse in her neck, then, all in a blink of the human eye, he would be all over her, allowing that pleasurable scent to stain his clothing. His teeth would rupture through her fragile skin, blood seeping down, extinguishing the burning fire that consumed his throat.

Edward was now sprinting, sprinting towards the girl, towards that delicious girl. In no time at all, the auburn haired Cullen crouches down on a tree branch as he looks down at his victim. Not exactly the picture he imagined, but what did that matter? All that mattered was the fact that her mouth-watering, delectable scented blood would soon be drained from her body and into his own. She was dressed in black attire, sweatshirt, ski cap, some sort of sports pants, all black. There were some tan bandages on her pale face but Edward ignored that. She was searching for something. "Fabio!" she called out several times as an Australian Sheppard barked, following the scent of another dog. Edward waited, waited so patiently, watched the girl as she found the black Labrador dog, and tackled him to the ground when he tried to run. "Fabio, please, for the love of all that is holy and good in this world, please stop running off, you could end up getting hurt!" the girl scolded the dog in such a sincere voice. Edward still paid no attention to these insignificant details as he put his plan into action. A deep growl came from his chest.

The girl turned around, her eyes wide in confusion. This did not satisfy Edward, he wanted to see _fear_. He silently and with total control, fell from the tree to the ground, hidden by the dense foliage. He crouched, and rumbled again, this time, louder. The girl cocked her head to the side, her eyes narrowed as she silently, and slowly pulled the Labrador behind her while the Australian sheep dog took a protective stance in front of the girl. The dog bared her teeth and growled as a warning. Edward took no heed, just a few more insignificant details. He growled again, now frustrated, she wouldn't run, why wasn't she running? He wanted to chase her. She had a look of determination in her sapphire eyes that mattered little to him. The girl stood her ground, her body tense. Edward hissed, angered she wasn't following his arrangement he created in his mind. The Cullen crouched and launched himself at his dessert, he saw the girl's eyes widen when suddenly he heard his name,

_Edward!_

Then, unexpectedly, he was hit in the side by two very familiar vampires. The three of them went hurdling in the opposite direction of his prey. With loud sounds of destruction as Alice, Carlisle and he crashed into trees and finally the ground.

_Edward! Please, gain your control back, remember who you are! You will regret this! _

Edward's father reasons silently as he and Alice pin him to the dirt.

_Edward, stop this please!_

Alice mentally pleads. Soon he feels himself being picked up as a rag doll,

"Emmett, get him back to the house," Carlisle commands politely. Edward sees his blonde hair turn to Jasper and hears him say, "Jasper, get the girl away from here." Jasper nods and he and Alice disappear. Emmett man-handles Edward far away from the amazing scent, much too Edwards displeasure.

Edward sits on the black sofa in his room, back at his new home. His golden eyes stare off into space. Rosalie had just rebuked him for a solid 49 minutes without stopping, but he hadn't heard a single word she said. Esme had comforted him before he went to be alone.

Now that Edward's mind was cleared of the intoxicating fragrance, he could think rationally and he reviewed the events in his mind. It was the most bizarre thing he had experienced. When he had first smelled Bella's scent, he felt angered, disgusted, and monstrous because he knew it was wrong. But with the girl from the woods, he felt calmed and like he was in a haze. He had no internal conflict with murdering this innocent child, her felt obligated to do so even! The thoughts he had were absolutely morbid, so uncharacteristic for him. Was it her scent that did this to him? Was it her aroma that made him so…vile and vulgar?

Edward recalls the details that he so carelessly dismissed earlier in the evening. She was wearing a too-big black sweatshirt, black sport warm up pants with three white stripes going down the side of the legs, a plain black ski cap and black converses. Her cheeks had band-aids on them and across her left brow were stitches and her left side of her face was slightly bruised. Her left hand was wrapped in white bandages. Edward's own brows came together in disturbance. Why was the girl previously injured? The vampire then remembers her dark blue eyes. They never showed fear. Did she not feel frightened because of a precious event, an event that injured her, made her more resilient to being scared? And not to mention the way she tried to protect the black puppy. A puppy! The girl would have willingly given up her own life, for a pet. It was the strangest thing he ever did see.

The red-brown haired vampire sighs and stands up to rejoin his family, at least he would never have to see this girl again.


	3. Chapter 3

Mwuaha! another chapter complete!! finally. i hope you enjoy, theres no edward in this chapter but he shall arrive in the next chapter along with the rest of the Cullens, yay!! So um, yeah, enjoy, and please please please PLEASE reveiw!! kthanxbaii

Disclaimer-i own nothing but Samantha and any other OCs and the plot !!!!!

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The house was big, Victorian Style, with white with green trimming. It had a wrap around porch with various pots of plants and flowers both hanging and stationary on the dark wooden floor. It stood out in a clearing about the size of a football field surrounded by dark coniferous trees. The long extending driveway was wet from slush and the windows of Emily and Scott's SUV were covered with droplets of water from the morning rain. I look from the window to Emily as she adjusts her hair and makeup in the car visor's mirror. She smacks her red glossy lips and puts the visor back up, her eyes look to the cluster of people coming from the green front door. It was a family of six, all varying in height. "It's the Brady Bunch," Emily says in a snide manner. I focus on the family as we pull up to the house. The three of us get out of the car; I made sure to be holding onto Fabio's leash tightly, and the Brady Bunch family approaches us as we line up along the passenger side of the black car. The woman leading the clan was caring a rather plump, miserable baby on her hip. I couldn't control the tilt of my head as stared at the depressed child, with a pink bonnet over its bald head.

"Emily! Scott! Oh Lord you two have grown so much since I last saw you!" She turns back to the oldest looking man in the bunch, "Ron, when was the last time we saw them, I think it was at Aunt Charlotte's funeral, wasn't it? Yes I do believe it was, yes it defiantly was," she turns back to face us, her hazel eyes were so dark and filled with happiness and tiredness. Her pale graying brown, afro like hair bounced every time she whipped her head around. "How old were you two at the funeral, hm, I think you were 7 years old at that time," I feel a twinge in my chest, like it suddenly became too heavy and my breast bone wanted to collapse into my lungs. I know my facial expression gave away nothing of my sudden discomfort since this has happened many times before. The number seven is well, not one of my favorite numbers. It was the age I was when I became an orphan; it's an unlucky number for me. "Oh! How rude of me?!" The woman carrying the baby turns to me and sticks out her hand while balancing the child on her hip. "My name if Darleen Kelly, you can call me Aunt Darleen, or Aunt Darly, whichever you prefer. You must be Samantha, oh I have heard so much about you child!" I shake her hand and give her a courteous smile. Boy this woman could talk, probably for hours without stopping. "Alright, Ron, Josh, help Scott unload his car into the house. Samantha, or would you prefer Sam or Sammy…"

"Whatever is fine with me," I shrug, even when I tell people my name is Samantha, they eventually end up calling me Sam, the perfect example, Scott. Darleen smiles,

"Alright then, Samantha, Stephanie will take you to the backyard and you can put your dogs where we keep our pets. Do your dogs have troubles with other animals?" she asks. I look at Fabio. Jorgette is great with other animals, but Fabio I wasn't too sure about.

"Um, yeah, I'm pretty sure they are."

"Good, good, alrighty then, everyone, you heard what your jobs are, now hop to it, hop, hop!" Darleen yells out cheerily. A child comes up to me as everyone disperses. She had the same style of hair as Darleen aside from her hair was longer and was pale blonde. She looked like she is in 4th or 5th grade.

"I'm Stephanie, everyone calls me Stephie though, come on, I'll show you where we keep all of our other pets." I follow her as she leads us across the wet, soft, squishy lawn to a rusted chain link fence. She opens it with a loud squeak. As we walk, I notice her small head flicker to me once in a while; like I was holding a gun to her back and telling her to act like nothing was happening. The backyard was relatively the same as the front yard, open with surrounding forest, the only difference was the entire backyard was fenced off and there was a trampoline and a large cage. We were headed to the cage. This cage was like a miniature dog pound, separate sections for the dogs; well, in this case for different animals. There was a golden retriever, a mutt, four cats of various colors and patterns, and a…

"You have a pig?" I ask. I couldn't help the surprise in my voice. Stephanie nods her golden hair. Huh…I didn't know pigs could live in cold places like Alaska.

"Yeah, pigs can live in cold places, it's just unusual," shoot, I said that out loud, "her name is Buttercup. Here, you can put them in this part," she opens another gate as I shuffle in Jorgette and Fabio. "What are their names?" she asks as she shuts the gate.

"Jorgette, the Australian Sheppard, and Fabio, the black Labrador" she nods her head again, obviously feeling uncomfortable with me. Her light eyes shift from me to the ground and then back to me.

"Um…what happened to your hands and face?" she asks the cold wet ground. I lift my bandaged hands and look at the off-white gauze and tape; I need to change the dressings soon. I put my hands back at my side.

"I was in an accident," I tell her, my voice was light, which caused her to look up; I'm suspecting she was expecting me to sound grave.

"Mmwhat kind of an accident?" Stephanie fishes as we begin our walk to the back door entrance to the large and aged home.

"A car accident."

"Oh," she mumbles.

I follow the small child into a big, much worn looking living room to see Emily, Scott, and Darleen and company. "Oh goody, I was just about to introduce my family to you all, have a seat, have a seat," she ushers the three of us onto a sofa with lace coverings. "OK, I am Aunt Darleen as you all already know," she giggles, she was beginning to remind me of Kitty Forman, the mother in 'That 70's show', just by the way she acted, I never thought anyone could be like her. Darleen indicates to the tallest of the bunch, a man with buzz cut hair that was graying and a bit of a beer gut. "This is my husband, Ronald; ya'll can just call him Uncle Ron,"

Uncle Ron looks like he'd rather be somewhere else.

"Next, is my oldest child and son, Joshua, he's 17,"

Joshua looks like he'd rather be somewhere else, and he looked annoyed that he wasn't at that somewhere else he'd rather be.

"Then comes my oldest daughter, Rebecca, she's 14,"

Rebecca waves and smiles at us brightly.

"This is Stephanie and Shawn, twins, ages 9,"

Stephanie smiles politely at me and Shawn blankly stares at the three of us.

"And last but not least, this is little Bethany, she's 8 months." Darleen coos as Bethany looks plump and miserable. Everyone mumbles a 'hello' and then an awkward silence is born. Darleen looks between her family and us orphans, "Well, I think its almost time for supper, Josh, why don't you show your cousins to their bedrooms, the ones I pointed out earlier," Josh shrugs as he mumbles, "Come on."

The three of us get up in unison and follow Josh and his dirty blonde spiky short hair. He was wearing a dark green hooded sweatshirt and a pair of worn jeans and some brown snow boots with some black rubber in certain places. His shoes clunked up the staircase as we follow silently. He stops at a door in the hallway and opens the door.

"This is Emily's room," he mumbles again. None of us move, we didn't know what to do. He shoves his hands in his sweatshirt pocket. "Um, you should probably unpack and freshen up for supper." He mumbles again, he was so very disinterested. _Supper. _That was such an odd way to say 'dinner'. Leaving to let Emily do what Josh suggested, Scott and I followed him down the hallway to another room. Josh sighs, "This is Scott's room," Scott sticks his head into the plain, oldest room.

"Sweet, cool man, I could dig this," he says, nodding approvingly. Josh rolls his eyes behind Scott's back as he turns and walks to the end of the hallway without saying a word. "I'll see ya in a little bit Sam," Scott says as he enters his new bedroom. I smile at him and catch up to Josh. At the end of the hallway there was another staircase that led up to single door. Josh flips on a light and clunks up, the stairs creaking and moaning with every step. I slowly follow him, the stairs creaking softly under my slow steps. Josh opens the door and a wind of cold air blows on us. The room was an attic that was definitely just recently converted into a bedroom. The floorboards were stained with dust, making the wood a brown grey color; the ceiling was angular because of the shape of the roof; and the walls were a bland green color. There was a vintage queen sized bed with old coverings, the bed frame was a bit darker than the coloring of the floor, and there was a dresser, a small desk, and a waist level dresser, all placed on separate walls of the attic made of the same wood as the bed frame. There was a lone circular maroon rug in the middle of the room. The room was just filled with nothing other than the few pieces of furniture. There was a single lamp hanging from the ceiling that gave off little light. Most of the light in the room came from the four to six windows.

"So this is your room, your stuff is right here," he points to my luggage which was by his side. I nod looking at my assortment of bags,

"Is it always this cold up here?" I ask.

"Most of the time," we stood in our place for a few minutes, kind of just staring at each other, well actually I was just looking at his face, he was looking at anything but me. "I'll let you get ready for supper," that darn word again.

"K" Josh leaves the room as I remain standing. The room was absolutely, obnoxiously large and empty. Most teens would love to have a large room, but this was too much. There were dark corners everywhere I looked and it was just uncanny and it was giving me chills, either that or the coldness of the attic was.

---

I lay down in my new bed, staring up at the blank ceiling. The attic was cold, but it didn't bother me anymore, I got used to it. My suitcases were still unpacked and would remain that way for the time being, before supper, ugh, no, I mean, before dinner, I washed up and just investigated the attic a bit. I changed into a pair of skinny jeans, and a black sweatshirt.

I feel like I couldn't move from the spot on the bed. I was immobilized by many mind-boggling questions from the previous night, now that I have had some time to think.

_I froze in place as I heard the third growl; Jorgette took a protective stance in front of me as I moved Fabio behind me. I could find a stick and try to hit the animal with that, and maybe ill get a chance- suddenly, before I got a chance to complete my thought, a flash of white emerged from behind the bushes. I felt my eyes widen at the sight. I could see a blurred image of a boy, a teenaged boy. Then there was a loud collision sound and the white blurred and increased in size and changed direction to my right. Deafening cracks and booms were heard, my eyes were still wide._

_That was a boy. _

_I wanted to go see what happened to him, but I couldn't move. Then I heard a whisper of a voice. At least that's what it sounded like to me, it could have been the wind for all I knew. But if that was a boy, he must be hurt, but that couldn't have been a boy because he was attacking me as if he was an animal. _

_I started to get scared. I couldn't understand this sudden fear filling my body, but it made be turn on my heel and run, Jorgette and Fabio were by my sides. I ran as fast as my sore legs could carry me. After what felt like miles my fear subsided, completely diminished, but I kept soaring through the woods until I found the clearing to the highway. I ran all the way to Emily and Scott's SUV, hastened the dogs into the back seat and hurled myself in. My cheeks, chin, nose, fingers, hands, thighs, butt, and toes were all numb from the cold but I was used to that feeling, the feeling I wasn't used to was the chill that came from my core and exerted itself out of me. _

"_Sam, are you OK?" Scott asks. I look at him, catch my breath and smile, _

"_Yeah, it's freezing outside is all,"_

I sigh. I have been running that exact scene in my head several times and then several times over, and each time it makes less and less sense. There was no way I imagined that. But was it in actuality a boy that was attacking me, or was it just an animal that I've never seen before? I groan and run my hands through my dark hair. That definitely was a boy! But how could a boy be attacking me in such an animalistic way! But that face was clearly human! But his face was so pale, so very white! It could have been a polar bear…but polar bears don't live in Alaska…do they? But it couldn't have been a polar bear because the eyes on the boy were golden, a ring of warm gold surrounding the black pupil. No animal has eyes like that…but…neither does any human…ugh!

"Knock, knock, knock," I jump upright as Darleen's voice startled me from my thoughts. "Mind if I come in?" She asks in a southern accent even though we are in the north. I acknowledge her request. "I know that you, Em, and Scott are all exhausted from your long trip, but I'd thought that we'd have a little chat." She sits on the edge of the bed. Her hazel eyes held sorrow in them as she scanned over my bruises and bandages; I was in the middle of redressing them until I was momentarily distracted. "Do you need any ice, a heating pad, aspirin?" she asks her voice full of sincere concern. I shake my head.

"No I'm fine, thank you." She looks down sadly,

"I know I have no right to ask you this, but would you mind telling me what happened in the accident?" I tilted my head in confusion.

"Sure, I don't mind telling you, you have a right to know, Katherine was your sister." She smiles delicately at me, with heartbreaking eyes of gloom. "We were coming back from my soccer practice; Katherine was driving while Kevin was in the passenger seat and I was in the back seat behind the driver. We were crossing an intersection when one of those 18 wheel trucks came speeding down through the left side's red light. It smashed Katherine directly, killing her instantly, and causing the car to tumble. Kevin didn't have his seat belt on, he never wore a seatbelt." I watch Darleen shake her head, her curly locks moving in rhythm. "I was lucky; I didn't suffer any major injuries, just a bunch of bruises and cuts and a sprained ankle and wrist." I stare at my hands wrapping the cloth around my cuts as I explain things to Darleen.

"Ah," there is an awkward silence as I finish my wrappings. "You know, Sam," ha, told you they always end up calling me Sam, "if-uh…well whenever something tragic happens if you want to talk about, your feelings to me, or maybe even a professional, if, that is if you don't feel comfortable with talking to me or something…"

"Actually, Darleen, I mean, Aunt, Darleen, I'm good, if I need someone to talk to, I'll talk to you, don't worry, I'm fine. I would more so worry about Emily and Scott, I mean it was their parents after all." I interrupt her. I restart switching the bandages on my hands, occupying myself from this uncomfortable conversation. I finish wrapping my left hand and proceed to unwrap my right hand of the dirtied bandages. Darleen gasps and I look up, very alarmed and startled.

"Sam, your hand!" I look down at it; I saw nothing wrong with it. But then again, this isn't the first time I'm looking at a bruised hand and wrist.

"It's really not as bad as it looks. The bruising makes it look hideous. The doctor said that the bruises should disappear within the next two weeks or so, so long as I keep icing them and don't let the stitches get infected or undone." I quickly rewrap the new bandages, concealing the black and blue marks.

"Right…" Darleen continues to stare at my hands. "Anyway, tomorrow we will be going shopping for school supplies, clothes, some more furniture and other necessities you, Em, and Scott might need. You're going to be starting school on Tuesday, oh and are you religious?"

"Um, in a way yes," I don't believe in any structural religion, I have my own set beliefs.

"Ok, well, tomorrow, every Sunday, us Kelly's attend mass at the church, and even if you aren't Christian, I would appreciate it if you would come with the rest of us." My face was incomprehensible. Church. I hadn't realized how long I was silent for until Darleen called me back to attention.

"Um, yeah, sure, I could…I could uh do the whole church thing, sure." Darleen smiles happily and pats my knee.

"Excellent. Well, get some rest, you've had a long day, oh! And I'm sorry about the coldness up here, I'll call Jim tomorrow, have him fix the heating, Jim is the plumber by the way." I idly nod my head. Figures that in a town of 1,811 people, everyone knows the only plumber by name. "Well, goodnight,"

"Goodnight" she leaves the attic, leaving me alone.

1,811 people in Haines Alaska.

27,457 people in Smithtown New York, Long Island.

In 2007, there was 99 teens enrolled in the Haines High School.

Smithtown High School has a total of 1,779 students.

This is going to be a very difficult living environment for us. Going from a place where nobody knows everybody and nobody cares about the entire town's business, to a small town where anybody knows everybody and they even care about the everybody's they know. This is going to be so very troublesome.


	4. Chapter 4

ah, 4th chapter, this is a very long one, but i had a lot of fun writing it. Next chapter shall be in Edward's POV. Now i must give credit to my boyfriend for using his 'be zen' pharse and using in it this story because now he's reading my story aswell as my mother. sigh...

Disclaimer-i only own my characters and this plot nothing else, everything else is Stephanie Meyers

REVIEW PLEASE!!!

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"OK kids, have fun!" Darleen drives away in her minivan. Emily and I stare at the very small high school. Scott isn't with us because he's a freshman at college, least he would be because he's decided to take a semester off due to certain circumstances. Josh walks on, leaving us to fend for ourselves. I look up at the sky, it was grey with heavy clouds, it looked as though it might rain, or snow, it might be cold enough to freeze the water droplets into flurries.

"Samantha this sucks balls." Emily groans and slouches in resistance to the new school. I look in front of us; people were already beginning to stare. I look to Emily; her outfit consisted of a bright red blouse with a green jacket and a floral pink skirt that went just above the knee and a pair of Mary Jane shoes. Her hair was in a high pony-tail with her bangs beautifully fluffed. Her eyes were coated with fiery bronze colors and her lipstick was maroon. Her purse was a silver tote and her notebooks were all floral colors. Even in a very grey town such as this, she illuminated it with her colorful beauty.

I, on the other hand, blended in with this small town, apart from my injuries, not that I mind; I actually prefer it that way. My outfit consists of a grey sweater that was simple and very comfortable and fit snuggly, a pair of blue-ish grey skinny jeans and an overly huge black zip up hoody and a pair of black converses with rainbow tye dye shoe laces. I carried my books in a navy blue simple Jansport backpack. My hair was down, and naturally straight and layered hair with a few strains that hang in my eyes, and I wear my simple black ski cap. Simple. No make-up. Simple. One simple necklace with a few simple bracelets, 3 to be exact. Simple. Everything simple.

"Yes it does," I say as I rub my stomach trying to soothe it. "I can't believe your aunt made us eat all of that so early in the morning." Emily groans as she hugs her own stomach.

"I know! I was like, what the hell Aunt Darleen? How could she possibly expect us to eat eggs, bacon, sausage, waffles, fruit, toast, hash brown, pancakes and muffins all at once?"

"And so early in the morning too, I honestly wouldn't be surprised if I vomited later. My stomach is used to eating a granola bar to start the day, a bagel the most," we complain to each other as we walk across the street to the learning structure.

"So since we have lunch together, meet me at my English class and then we'll walk to the cafeteria together."

"Emily I have no idea where your English class is,"

"Oh that doesn't matter, you'll find it," Emily smiles, kisses me on my cheek and hugs me. "See you after third period my darling!" she calls over her shoulder. How she is so confident in a new environment, and standing out the way she does is incomprehensible to me. I watch her as students stare after her. I roll my eyes, this school will surely be impossible. I study the map of the school on the paper with my schedule. My first period class is history, sounds like lots of fun. OK, the sarcasm wasn't fair, I liked history, and I was good at it. Maybe 'liked' wasn't the most appropriate word, I didn't mind it only because I was good at it; which is hard to believe since I am absolutely awful at remembering dates.

"Hey there!" I jump to my side, completely startled. I put my hand to my chest, my heart beating loudly, who the…what was that for?!? I look to where the greeting came from and the person starts laughing. "Sorry about that, I didn't mean to scare you. You're the new kid right? Or one of them, uh wait let me guess you are Sam?" The boy had dark hair that hung into his eyes. He was the same height as me, and he was wearing an assortment of brown colors. I nod my head in response to his guess. "My name's Justin Parker, want me to help you get to your first class?" he asks. People are way too friendly here. Before I could say anything he takes the paper from my hands and studies it. "Hey, awesome! We have first period together!"

"That's great," I say as he beckons me to follow him.

"So what's with all of the mummification?" he indicated to my hands and the few bandaged tape on my cheeks.

"I was in a car accident."

"Sweet, anybody die?" My face becomes appalled. This morbid little punk did not just ask me that. There are rules to these types of things. Yes, it's cool when someone is killed in a car accident, the world is gruesome that way, but it is only interesting when it happens to people you don't know. Granted Justin doesn't really know me, but you don't say, 'sweet, anybody die' to someone who was _in_ the accident. The only time you could possibly say that is if it was, let's a freak accident, like impossible things happened, but not if you are talking to someone who was in the actual accident! Also, I know, it's horrible when people die, but it is in human nature to be at least curious in death, in the news it's always about death, crime and violence, we as humans are just drawn to the drama, the tension, it's stimulating because it takes the bore from the ordinary days of life.

"Yes, my god parents were killed," I say, slightly angered and still astounded by his rudeness.

"Ah, that sucks. You know, for twins, you and Emily look nothing alike." He states as I follow him around a corner.

"Excuse me?" What on earth is this boy talking about? How does he know Emily? Why is he speaking of her like they are already friends?

"What?" he asks dumbly.

"How do you know Emily, and what do you mean twins?" I ask perplexed written on my forehead.

"I saw you guys at mass on Sunday, my dad's the pastor." He explains. Right, small town, Darleen probably told Justin's father who probably got some details mixed up while telling his son.

"Oh, well, Emily and I aren't twins,"

"But you guys are the same age, how does that work?" I struggle not to roll my eyes as my fists clench, I'm sorry, but I have a low tolerance level for stupidity, just like my parents did.

"You didn't allow me to finish," I take a breath to calm myself, "Emily and I aren't related, we are friends."

"Wait, what?" we stop outside the classroom, room 112.

"It's complicated," I wave it off, also waving away my frustration towards Justin. Just be Zen, I remind myself as I walk into the classroom. Justin follows me.

"You know, you've got a huge accent," he laughs. I face him.

"No I don't"

"Yes you so do! It's so funny. Say, coffee (cah-fee)"

"Coffee (Cough-fee)…?" Justin laughs loudly.

"Say autograph (ah-tograph)"

"Autograph (aw-tograph)…?"

"Um, say…" he ponders when the girl next to him interrupts him.

"Justin, leave the poor girl alone," _Poor girl?_ The girl has long brown hair and brown eyes. "Hi, I'm Nicole so you're from New York huh?" I nod my head. "That's so cool; do you know, like, any ganstas?" Once again, I struggle not to roll my eyes. Zen Samantha, just be Zen.

"No, I lived on Long Island, not in the city," Justin laughs again, he has such an annoying laugh.

"She says Long Island weird," Justin laughs again.

"The city? You mean New York City, right?" I suppress a groan and the temptation to bang my forehead onto the desk; this is going to be such a long day.

---

History was alright, I can catch up easily. We are just learning about The Declaration of Independence since we are in the first week of October. Mr. O'Conner has a giant wart on his cheek that I couldn't stop staring at, it was so annoying. If it's annoying to me, it must be ten times as annoying to him. Next came Painting 1, that class was pretty chill, the teacher's crazy, in a good way. She's a lot of fun, her name is Ms. Hawkins. Third period I had Mr. Moretti, I really have no comments on him just yet. I found out during History and homeroom, that Justin has English with Emily third period. He told me that they were in room 224.

"Hey there sexy, I knew you would be able to find me" Emily smiles beautifully. She hooks her arm around mine and sashays us to the cafeteria. "Everyone keeps staring at me, it's so annoying," she dramatizes by rolling her eyes. I look around at the dull halls of this fairly dull school.

"What are you talking about Emily? You love it when people stare at you," I asked, I really am rather bored with this school, I've seen all of the people in all of my classes so far, and there have only been three classes, how pathetic.

"Well, I do, but all the guys are practically drooling," she gestures with her free hand.

"Once again, what are you talking about Emily? You love it when people stare _and_ drool at your beauty," I say nonchalantly. Emily laughs lightly,

"I guess that's true. Any guys staring at you?" she asks.

"I don't know, I wasn't really paying attention, this kid Justin Parker talked to me and so did this girl Nicole Kaminski, talked to me in history."

"Oooh"

"Justin's laugh is so obnoxious."

"Oh, never mind," I laugh a mild, bored laugh.

"Exactly and he kept making fun at the way I talked." I complain lightly at which Emily laughs again.

"Yeah me too babe, they say t-ah-lked, we t-aw-lked, people are so redokulus,"

"Tis true my friend, tis true," we laugh as we walk into the cafeteria, the very small cafeteria. "Yeah, um, where are we going to sit?" I inquire.

"Don't cha worry baby girl, I got cha covered. I arranged to have some friends save us seats at their lunch table." She says as her brown eyes scan the room. "Ah" she says and tugs me in the direction of her destination.

"Friends?" I ask skeptically.

"Yes, people who are just stunned by my dashing good looks and would do anything I asked them," she giggles, "I love it here, I would never be able to get away with this back at home, cuz at home I wasn't the most beautiful girl, but here, I am," she giggles again. "Oh, don't get me wrong Samantha," she stops and looks at me seriously, but I interrupt her,

"Emily, you know I know what you mean," she giggles again,

"K good, lets go meet some people," she smiles excitedly and pulls me along with her. Emily is a wee bit narcissistic and sometimes she'll insult me while she rants. She doesn't mean too, and she always tries to apologize, but I know she didn't mean too. She calls me beautiful and says she's only friends with beautiful people but she's exaggerating. She really only said that she was the most beautiful girl in this school because A) she is and B) even if (and that's a big if) I was even close to her beauty, I would be no competition to her because I don't like attention and there's no reason to try to compete with her.

"Hey Randy, thanks for saving us a seat, this is Samantha, the girl I was telling you about." She smiles, making the boy laugh nervously. "Uh, hey Sam" he says staring oddly at me. I look up to Emily, silently telling her how uncomfortable I was. She continues on. "Randy, why don't you introduce us to your friends?" she suggests.

"Yeah, right," Randy says, his blonde hair in small spikes, he was rather tall and looked like an athlete. "Uh, Emily, Sam, this is Spencer, Antoinette, Rachel and Zoe." I smile courteously at them all, each of them unique but similar at the same time. Maybe because this town is so dull that it dulled the appearance of its town folk? Emily smiles brightly at them as we take our seats between Randy and Zoe, I was next to Zoe. "Hi!" Emily says happily.

"Hi, let me guess, you guys are from New York City, the Big Apple, right, am I right?" Zoe asks eagerly. I nod my head and give her a 'mm-hm' Zoe has ghastly orange hair that was puffier than Darleen's mini fro and it was to some extent tamed into a half ponytail, sort of. Her skin was an ivory with somewhat of a greenish tint to it and any exposed skin was splattered with freckles and her eyes are very green. She was a little on the heavier side and she wears a maroon poncho cloth thing and a white long sleeved shirt underneath and a pair of tan corduroy pants.

"Zoe, Randy told us they were from New York," the dirty blonde haired girl said rolling her eyes. I think Randy pointed her out as Antoinette. Her hair is medium length, just a wee bit shorter than my own, her eyes were brown and she was relatively tan, for a place like this. She was sitting across from me at the circular table. She was wearing a grey, tight zip up hoody with a pink tank top underneath. Her make-up was bright blue and purple and heavy caked on mascara.

The rest of the group continued to talk on a topic that I had little interest in. My eyes gazed from one corner of the cafeteria to the next. There was nothing interesting; it was just a grey blah. I look back to the entrance of the cafeteria when a couple walks in.

I can't leave it at that, this couple is beautiful. The boy and girl were masterpieces. The girl with such gold blonde hair, perfect features, body, skin and her boyfriend, perfect body, perfect smile as he looks at her, gorgeous short black hair. My heart rate increased at the sight of them. They were so perfectly dressed and so perfectly and abnormally pale they looked like gods. I feel like saying to myself what was I thinking that Scott and Emily looked like gods. When compared to these two, Emily and Scott were nothing. "Who are they?" I hear Emily asks with a hint of jealousy that only I would pick up on.

"Oh, that's Emmett Cullen and Rosalie Hale, both seniors, they are part of the Cullen family and they were adopted by Dr. and Mrs. Cullen." Antoinette explains, she sounded like a lazy, wealthy person, a bit snobbish. "Dr. Cullen is like a matchmaker, Emmett and Rosalie are together, like together, together. It's so weird" she says as if she was too good for them.

"Technically they aren't related, so why would it be weird?" I question, still gawking at the lovely pair. There was something…different about them and I wasn't talking about there physique. But the way they looked at each other, they seemed in love, but, it wasn't the typical high school love I've seen before, I don't know, I just don't know what it was that made me think this, and that bothered me.

"It's just weird cuz they live together. Here comes the next couple of the Cullens, Jasper Hale and Alice Cullen. Jasper's a senior and Alice is a junior. They're kinda weird," Antoinette says with an 'obviously as you can see' type of face. I look behind me and once again my heart rate increases. Another set of god like humans. They were the same skin tone as Emmett and Rosalie, the exact same, but Alice was short, shorter than me at 5'4, with short flared out brown hair and pixie like features. She looked so carefree, and I had a desire to talk to her, to get to know her, it was so odd. Alice was energetically talking and prancing around Jasper, a tall, also pale boy with a bit crazed blonde hair. He looked as though he was in pain. I wanted to know why that was. I could understand why Antoinette thought they were weird, but surprisingly I didn't think they were, I was just curious. My eyes continue to follow after them and I see Alice glance over her shoulder to at our table. My heads tilts peculiarly. Was she interested in Emily and I, the new students, just like everyone else? No, that was impossible, The Cullens seemed too…important to care about a few new comers. "Word is they moved here from somewhere in Washington, uh, Forks I think was the name of the town. Dr. Cullen was asked to come to the hospital here, that's why they moved."

"When did they move here?" asks Emily, still with that subtle hint of spitefulness.

"Towards the end of the summer" Spencer answers, I look to him, a dark skinned boy with one light brown eye and one dark brown eye. I look behind him at the table with the four Cullens. Alice kept glancing to our table.

"And last but certainly not least, Edward Cullen" all of the girls at the table sigh his name, which startled me. I turn in my seat and when I saw him my mouth dropped open.

My heart stopped.

I could not breathe.

Our eyes connected.

The scene from the forest several nights ago replayed in my mind.

That's him.

Those same eyes.

That same face.

That's him.

It wasn't an animal.

It was a boy.

It was _that_ boy.

It was _Edward Cullen._

"Samantha what's up?" Emily elbows me and without missing a beat I answer with,

"He's beautiful," I start breathing again as my eyes follow him eagerly. He was glaring at me until his back was to our table.

"He is; he's so hot." Emily agrees. No, no that's impossible. He couldn't be the boy from the woods, that's, that's impossible, isn't it? It must be, what are the odds? I stare down at my hands still in complete and utter confusion. Everyone gets up from the table and heads to the serving area.

"Don't waste your time with him," Antoinette says, grabbing a tray, I take two and hand one to Emily who was behind me.

"Yeah, apparently nobody is good enough for him," Rachel adds, her brown hair was in a French braid and she has a few freckles across her face and she was wearing a similar outfit to Antoinette except she was wearing a knee length gypsy skirt that was green while Antoinette was wearing simple flare jeans. "They all keep to themselves, like no one talks to them. They all think they are too good for the rest of us." She explains further.

I've decided that Edward Cullen was the thing from the woods that tried to attack me. I'm going with my gut instinct on this. I absently take a fruit salad from the serving area and place it on my tray, and then I grab a bottle of water. The group returns to the table, the topic changed from the Cullens to some other subject. My mind remained on the Cullen family though. That _was _Edward Cullen, there is no doubt in my mind of that. But, was he really attacking me? Maybe he was trying to protect me from something, it's a stretch but I want to run all of the possibilities that I can think of though my mind. So there is attacking me, trying to protect me, maybe he was running from something. OK, attacking, protecting, running…

"Oh, oooh my god, Edward is looking this way. Edward Cullen is looking this way, who do you think he is looking at?" Zoe asks rapidly.

"Who do you think dummy, it's Emily and Sam, they are like a shiny toy to a bunch of kindergarteners." Antoinette says in a blasé manner. I couldn't argue with her there. All the teens did in school was stare at Emily and I, it was very irritating.

"You going to try and make a move on him?" I ask Emily, stabbing a purple grape with the white plastic fork and popping it into my mouth, knowing she was glancing at him coyly.

"Possibly, I'll wait first, see if he makes the first move, if not I'll go in for the kill," she smirks while still staring at Edward. Meanwhile I look at Alice and her boyfriend Jasper. I really didn't want to look at Edward (no matter how attractive I may find him) because if I looked at him, my mind would just whirl with confusing, unanswered questions and I wasn't in the mood to deal with said questions.

I have the same vibe about Alice and Jasper that I had with Emmett and Rosalie, they just look like more than just a high school couple. The couples look like…lovers, like true lovers. I was curious, about what I wasn't sure, but I was curious about them, about all of them. "What grade is Edward in?" I hear Emily ask someone.

"11th" Randy replies.

I watch as Alice playfully smiles and looks at Jasper while always in someway or another being in physical contact with him, then occasionally glancing to me then somewhere else. After a few minutes I picked up on where her bright golden eyes were flickering to and fro. She would look at Jasper, most likely like any other day, then look to me, unlike any other day, then she would look to Edward briefly, then back to her beloved. Could she know that Edward was the one who…who was doing something in the woods and saw me? Could she see the connection? Does she know that Edward was in the woods? If Edward was attacking me, could she be the same, and attack…things…? Oh my god my head was beginning to hurt. I wasn't making any sense and I wasn't even supposed to think about any of this; that was the whole purpose of staring at Alice rather than Edward. Oh no! I'm staring at holy mother! I'm being so rude! God I'm so stupid! And just as in History class, I suppressed a groan and the temptation to hit my head into the table.

----

After lunch I walked with Emily and Antoinette to their next period class which was chemistry. Their class was on the way to my next class which was gym. As Antoinette told me we were already a week into the volleyball tournaments. Antoinette also told me that two of the Cullen brothers were in my class, Jasper and Emmett. I wasn't quite sure what to think of that small piece of information. So I bid my goodbyes to them and went on my way to the gymnasium where I was given a pair of shorts and sweatpants and a long sleeved and a short sleeved shirt.

I get changed in the miniscule locker room into the shorts and long sleeved shirt; that is until I looked in the mirror. Now normally, it doesn't matter to me what I look like for gym, but due to certain circumstances, I think it would be wiser to not to show the student body my damaged legs just yet. I change into the sweatpants. Once that task has been accomplished, I find Ms. Keppel and she explains to me what we are doing.

"As you can see we have already started the volleyball unit. There are four teams, three of which are full," she explains in a masculine voice as she walks with a brisk stride. "So I'll be putting you on squad four, it's a two man squad, it'll be three now with you." I could only guess who the two were. "Cullen! Hale! Git over here!" The two pale teens jog over to where we were standing. "This is your new teammate," Someone calls for Ms. Keppel so she hastily adds, "Introduce yourselves" before taking off. The three of us stare awkwardly at the other for a solid minute.

"Emmett," says the taller more muscular one, and by the way he said it, it was as if he was trying to intimidate me.

"Jasper," says the slightly shorter one, eyeing me the same way his brother is.

"Samantha," I introduce when suddenly I felt very uncomfortable, I felt like not playing with these two, I was suddenly afraid and intimidated, I wanted to just sit on the side and watch…

Wait no, since when do I not want to play a sport? And since when am I intimidated by a couple of boys??

"So should we get started?" I ask, regaining the confidence that mysteriously nearly disintegrated unexpectedly. The two nod and we all walk onto the court. On the opposing team Justin waves wildly.

"Hey Sam! We're in the same gym period!!" No duh…this kid is the epiphany of stupidity.

"Yes Justin, yes we are."

The girl on Justin's team serves the ball and it goes right to Emmett, who sets it up for Jasper who in turn spikes it perfectly to score a point. The ball is turned over to us and Jasper serves. Justin returns it back to us and it comes my way, I prepare to set it for Emmett but then he jumps in front of me, hitting the ball over and nearly knocking me down. I regain my balance just in time to see the ball coming my way again. And again, I prepare myself to bump the ball, but this time Jasper moves in front of me and sets Emmett who spikes it perfectly earning us another point. My fists clench and I close my eyes and breathe deeply as I move to my position. Zen, Zen, Zen, Zen…

My jaw was beginning to hurt 30 minutes into the hour period from clenching it so much. My palms were hurting from digging my nails into them through the bandages. I swear to the most powerful being EVER, that if Emmett and Jasper keep me from touching that volleyball one more freakin' time, I'm going to bite one of there heads' off. I swear to God! The only time I touched the ball was when they allowed me to serve. And all through out these 30 minutes I kept having these…emotional swings. I would feel frustrated with Emmett and Jasper one minute, then the next, I would have an an overwhelming feeling of serenity, like everything was cool, like it was fine that they were unfairly not allowing me to play, but that is so NOT cool! It was so…so illogical!

Justin serves the ball and it goes to Jasper who sends it over, the ball is sent back to me, I prepare myself, but Emmett hits it by jumping in front of me and making me fall, which wasn't the first time either. While sitting on the floor, that familiar sensation of relaxation engulfed me, but I refused to give into this time as I scrambled to my feet as I literally growl at the two brothers.

"I have had enough! In case you haven't noticed, volleyball is a team sport, a group effort, and in case you haven't noticed _that_ is the game we are playing; not the 'let Jasper and Emmett do everything' sport! Let me hit the freakin' ball, my God, you two are the most selfish ball hogs I have ever seen!" I can feel my fists shaking, I wanted to hit them so badly, but I had a feeling that I would only end up hurting myself, and anyway, I really wasn't a violent person, and yet these two made the thought cross my mind!

Emmett and Jasper look at each other for a brief moment as I catch my breath. "Uh, okay," Emmett says.

"Good," the three of us get back to the game, and this time, we cooperated, quite well I might add. I would either set up Jasper and Emmett for a spike, or I would pass the ball to one of them so they could set up the other for a spike. I felt so much more relaxed now that I wasn't getting snubbed of playing the game.

The period came to an end and we completely destroyed Justin's team 46 to 7. My next class was Chemistry and low and behold, Justin is in my class. So Justin waited for me outside of the girls' locker room and I followed him to the classroom.

"You were amazing in gym today Sam," he says

"Um, thanks, but I didn't do much," I say, which was the truth, Emmett and Jasper did most of the point scoring.

"I meant the way you stood up to Emmett and Jasper, they were being such jerks," What came out of my mouth next, I had no control over, it was a reflex, honest.

"Emmett and Jasper are not jerks," I say, anger boiling from my stomach as I defend the brothers.

"Chyea they are. They pushed you out of their way!" he argues. I calm myself down.

"So? I mean they were gym partners for a while so they probably were just used to the two of them and after I got out my statement we worked well together, and we were having fun." I reason, mostly with myself. Yes they were being jerks to me, but after I essentially stood up to them, I was having a blast, as if we were friends.

"OK, but still, nobody talked to any of the Cullens like that before, ever, especially not to Emmett, he's HUGE!" I can't help but chuckle at the outrageous face Justin made when he said the word huge. We enter the classroom, Justin sits at his table and I walk to the teacher. He gives me a textbook, workbook and tells me his name is Mr. Rickman and he points me in the direction of an open seat in the back corner of the classroom right next to Edward Cullen…

Surely the universe jests.

Surely this is some sort of sick joke.

_Surely_ this is all an illusion.

_**Surely**_ I am not _really_ going to have to sit next to the boy who is making me go insane because of something I thought I saw a few days ago in the woods and I actually believe it is true.

_**Surely**_ I am not going to have to sit next to this gorgeous being and be tormented by my wild and over active imagination and keep thinking he is some sort of creature who tried to kill me!

_**SURELY**_ none of that is going to happen!

I walk towards the third brother of the Cullen family. Surely it was going to happen and there was no point in trying to pretend it wasn't. I depressingly plop down in the seat next to him and this time acknowledge the urge to bang my head onto the table and I sit there with my head firmly on the black table. I can feel Edward's glare blazing hole into my head but I couldn't care less. After this hour I wouldn't need to see him until the next day.

The class began and I ignored the negative energy coming from Edward, I ignored how irregular his breaths came, how one minute they were smooth and deep, the next short and stiff, then if I didn't know better it sounded like he wasn't breathing at all. I ignored how I could feel how tense his muscles were even though he was all the way on one side of the table and I was on the total opposite. I ignored the urges I had to glance to my right to see his beautiful face in anguish. He probably hates me. But why should he hate me? He has no reason to hate me; I have a reason to hate him. He was the one who tried to attack me in the forest. So if anyone should do some hating it's me! I hate him. I hate Edward Cullen. I hate his beautiful face. He's annoying! Ger I hate him. I fold my arms over my chest and I sit leaning back against the chair for the remaining how ever many minutes are left in the period glaring at the chalk board because if I dare glance at Edward my anger would disappear. It's hard for me to be angry at people when I am looking at them.

The bell rings and I gather my books as quickly as possible and when I look up _he _is already walking out the door. Ch, whatever. I walk out of the door and Justin startles me. "So what class do you have next?" he asks.

"English, room 144," I say, my anger fading, slowly.

"Ah, I got math, can I walk with you to your class?" he asks. I shrug one of my shoulders, I really didn't care, I just wanted to get to my favorite subject and perhaps, hopefully my anger and frustration will subside.

I walk into the classroom and walk up to the teacher. A woman of the same height as me with short brown hair and eyes, tan skin, and clear braces smiles brightly at me. "Hello, you must be Hunter or Stevenson?" She asks in a _normal _voice.

"Samantha Hunter," I say, I can just feel my mouth twitching into a smile. My ears are soothed by someone finally talking _without_ an accent. She laughs brilliantly.

"Hello Samantha, I had Emily third period, I just couldn't rememba the last names. But anyway I'm Mrs. Pyrce, I heard you were from New York?" she asks, she has such a Brooklyn accent and I love it, I absolutely love it.

"Yea, Long Island," she gasps,

"What town?"

"Smithtown," I answer, she clasps her hands together.

"Oh that's where I went to high school!"

"Really? Wow, what made you come to Alaska?"

"My husband is a fishaman, and we decided to move all the way out hea. What made you come all the way to Alaska?"

"Family issues," I say smiling, I couldn't help it, I was absolutely in love with this teacher.

"Ah, I see, well if you need to talk I'm hea, so why don't you take a seat right ova hea and I'll get you a book of the play we are reading." I take a seat and watch her walk to the closet and grab a tan hard covered book and return to me.

"A Streetcar Named Desire?" I ask, surprised.

"Yes, it's actually a very good play…"

"Yes I know, I've read it, it's one of my favorites,"

"Really? It is a very good play isn't it, well don't spoil it for the rest of the class," she winks at me. "Why don't you get the notes from Alice," she gestures behind me and begins class. I turn in my seat and my eyes widen. It didn't even register in my head that it would be Alice Cullen sitting behind me. She smiles at me a breathtaking smile.

"Need the notes?" she asks in a thrilling voice. I smile back at her, I couldn't help it.

"Yes, please," I've decided I want to be her friend. I don't care if her brother is Edward Cullen, I will be friends with Alice Cullen. Suddenly Alice's eyes go blank and her smile falters slightly. She then intakes a sharp breath and smiles even larger than before which causes me to smile more.

"Here you go," she says then glances to her right as I take the notebook. I look to where her warm golden eyes went to and my good mood instantly disappears at the glaring face of Edward Cullen, only this time he wasn't glaring at me, he was glaring at Alice. How could anyone glare at Alice? Sure I don't know her, but that doesn't mean anything. I get good vibes from Alice, not like all of the negative ones I get from Edward. I look between the two non-related siblings and it looked as though they were speaking to each other telepathically. Edward's glare then is redirected to me, and I, being the mature adult that I am, stick my tongue out at him and turn tin my seat. I hear Alice silently giggle behind me and I smile to myself. This was more fun than being frustrated with the beautiful boy.


	5. Chapter 5

OK hellooo, this is Edward's point of view...it's ok, i sorta like it, most parts anyway, um PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE review :D blahhhhhhhhh

enjoy

standard disclaimer::":ELDKHEKNJ:O!!

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My first reaction to Samantha was detestation even before I realized she was the one I would have killed if not for Alice and Carlisle. I kept hearing all of the thoughts of all of the boys' and the vulgarity of it all was repulsing! The way it jumped from Emily then back to Samantha then back to Emily, it was nauseating. But then I actually saw her for myself in that cafeteria and I could tell why she fascinated everyone. She was different with her bandages but her uniqueness shone through the damages.

She knew that I was something else from the experience in the forest where I nearly killed her because of her sensational aroma; I _knew _she knew even though I can't comprehend her thoughts. But on that first Tuesday of October, the first day she came to Haines High School, when she first laid her beautiful deep royal blue eyes on me, her heart skipped a beat and her breathing stopped momentarily. I was expecting her to stand up and yell, exposing what I was, but she didn't. She simply replied to her friend, 'he's gorgeous'. That made me wonder, did she not remember? Her eyes stared at my family; rather they stared at Alice and Jasper. She refused to look at me, the monster that almost ended her life and I couldn't fathom a reasonable explanation to why she wouldn't be curious enough to look at me. After the 'pretend to eat lunch' period, she had gym with my two brothers, Emmett and Jasper. Alice and I both had study hall so we went outside of the gymnasium and listened in; Alice was more than curious about Samantha, she seemed more curious than I was.

We listened in on the volleyball match; it was amusing to say the least. Emmett kept restricting his power even though he so desperately wanted to hit the ball with all of his might which would probably end up smashing through the gymnasium floor. He would suggest the family play volleyball one day soon.

Jasper kept looking to Samantha, her scent was having an affect on him as it did to me, except it wasn't nearly as potent. Even from outside of the brick and cemented wall I could smell her contrasting perfume of deliciously spicy and sweetness. It mystifies me still why her scent makes my mind go completely crazy, but I have no desire to kill her they way I had with Bella; I just want to be physically near Samantha, to just taste and smell her exotic scent. Not that I don't want her blood, not at all. I do so desire her blood so profusely but not in a vicious manner. When I think of quenching my burning thirst with Samantha's blood, I want it in moderation; I want to slowly sip her delectable blood, savor the taste, then save some more for later, so I can have it for the rest of my existence, for eternity.

It made Alice giggle whenever Jasper would sooth Samantha's anger from being pushed out of the way by one of them with his gift and then she would get confused as to why she had a sudden change of emotion and go back to being angry. Then when Samantha subconsciously and completely disregarded Jasper's gift and yelled at them for not allowing her to play in the game, Alice was thrown into a hysterical laughing fit like none other. I also found that to be quite entertaining, seeing this small, fragile human stand up to two predators that were anything but small and fragile. Neither one of my brothers knew how to react to her suddenly outburst, which made Alice and I only laugh harder.

After that most entertaining period I went off to chemistry and took my seat. I closed my eyes and sighed when she came into the room, filling it with her glorious scent. It was wrong for me to indulge in it. She, of course, takes the empty seat next to me. It was not right, I couldn't, and I wouldn't allow the same thing that happened in Forks happen to me here. I wouldn't put another human life in danger. I would hold my breath at times, to not be intoxicated by her luxurious aroma, but then my will power would crumble and I would breathe in deeply. Then I would try to fool myself and only take short breaths, to in a way compromise, but who was I fooling anyway?

She refused to even look at me in the science class, not even a glance unlike me who couldn't stop staring at her. I couldn't help but be aggravated with her, with what she was doing to me without the slightest bit of knowledge of it. And what's worse, I can not understand what she thinks! With Bella I could hear nothing, but with Samantha, I _do_ hear her thoughts, they are just unintelligible. I hear murmurs, a humming in her mind and it almost sounds like words, but just not quite! It is so unfathomably frustrating and irritating, knowing she is thinking vehemently about something but I can not understand what! During the lunch hour her thoughts were a slow, curious hum, but in chemistry, they were speeding, completely racing with violence! Was she thinking of me? Was she thinking of something else? It's beyond words to explain how maddening it is; it's like knowing there is treasure beneath your feet, but you just cannot get to it.

I had to rush out of the room to clear my mind and I met up with Alice, who was too eager. I questioned her but she kept her thoughts hidden as we walked to our English class. We take our seats and as I look up, Samantha walks in. I closed my eyes again, so this is what Alice was so eager about. I looked to my sister who was looking enthusiastically at the girl with dark brown hair and bandages around her hands which I wanted to question but knew better than to do so. Her face had two band-aids and a few small scars that had no affect on her unique beauty. I had stifled a laugh as Alice began to evaluate Samantha's style.

_Why does she leave her hair covering her eyes? They are so beautiful and contrasting to her dark hair, she should have her bangs pulled back. The sweater is rather cute and looks exceptionally well on her, but it should not be grey; she should wear red, or some other warm color. Her jeans can stay; I might actually have to get a pair in a different color of course. Her shoes…_

She hesitated, she couldn't figure out if Samantha's converses were fashionable or not. She kept thinking that they did look adorable on the human and they were unique. I, on the other hand, was intent on listening to her conversation with Mrs. Pyrce, a fellow New Yorker to Samantha and Emily. It was interesting seeing how immediately Samantha connected with the teacher and vice versa.

Then, the worst happened. Samantha turned in her seat to get the notes from Alice, and they smiled at each other. First Samantha smiled unsurely at my small sister, then Alice smiled hugely at the intriguing girl, Samantha hesitated while her mind hummed happily and she smiles in pure determination and happiness at Alice. That's when Alice had the vision of her and Samantha in our home, sitting on Alice's bedroom floor, laughing, Samantha hunched over rolling on the carpet, tears coming from her red beaming face. Alice then springs elegantly to her feet and takes Samantha's hand and she says, 'Let's get the human something to eat" and they run at human pace out of the room still laughing about something unknown.

Alice then beams enormously so it was impossible for her to not show all of her white teeth. I on the other hand, scowled at her. I wouldn't allow this, I would not make the same mistake and hurt another human and force my family to move again. Alice looks to me, still smiling.

_It's going to happen._

I glare at her. She said the same thing with Bella becoming a vampire, and it did not happen.

_This is so clear, it's been my clearest vision I have ever had with a human, Edward. This is going to happen. Something she has decided will make us friends in the future, best friends. I can feel it Edward. I think she might have decided that she wanted to be friends with me just now._

She is so smug; I slowly shake my head at her. She will not do this.

_YOU aren't going to stop me. This isn't about you; this is about Samantha and I._

And with that she looks back to Samantha who is looking between us. My glare is shifted to her. Does she not have that normal instinct to avoid us like every other human did? First Emmett and Jasper now Alice…

Samantha glares at me then for a second her face goes blank then she sticks an adorable pink tongue out at me and turns fully in her seat. From across the room I can see her smiling in pure delight.

…and now me. It was like she was already on Alice's side even though she had no idea of what we were silently conversing about.

The period was dreadful, absolutely dreadful. Her scent filled the room causing me to loose focus in the play we were reading and I began to visualize Samantha and me in the forest again. But this time, I wasn't interrupted by Alice and Carlisle. First I would knock the dogs out of the way, they would be a nuisance. Then I would gracefully glide to her. She would look at me defiantly; I know that now because of how she reacted to Jasper and Emmett. I would back her up into a tree. Her warm, delicious blood filled body would be caught between the rough bark of the tree and my hard, smooth, cold body. Her breathing would get ragged, making her breathe her own magnificent perfume directly into my face. I would ever so gently take hold of her pale neck and tilt her fascinating face upward. I would indulge myself in that luscious perfume while as light as a feather caress my stone nose over her now flushed jaw line. Samantha would gasp as I brush my perfect teeth across her neck. Then I would quickly puncture through her delicate skin, her blood gushing into my mouth instantly gratifying my burning throat. Samantha would then scream in terror…

I glanced at Samantha as she runs her fingers through her flowing medium length hair completely absorbed in the book in front of her. No, she wouldn't be the type to scream.

…then I would quickly puncture through her delicate skin, her blood flushing into my mouth instantly gratifying my burning throat. Samantha would moan in agony, a deep husky moan as she tried futilely to push me away from her. I pull away from her puncture wound and I lick the blood dripping from the holes my teeth created. I would savor the taste in my mouth. I tried to imagine what it would taste like, Samantha's blood. Would it be sweet? Would it be bittersweet? I had an intuition that the blood would be sweet, so I imagined a delightfully sweet taste. I would continue to suck her blood until she started to feel faint and give up all struggle…

_Edward!_ Alice hisses my name in her thoughts. I quickly give her a glance. _What are you thinking!? _I shrug one shoulder casually, asking her what she meant. My mouth drops open as Alice shows me what she saw. She saw me, dangerously close to Samantha. The vision was viewing us at a very close proximity so neither Alice or I could see any surroundings. But what was clear, was that I was hovering very close to Samantha's face, we were both lying down, I was on top of her, she was breathing heavily and her arms were gripping at my shirt while mine were cradling her. _What on earth are you thinking!? _Alice asks horrified. I slightly hang my head; I shouldn't be doing this to myself…or Alice.

The rest of the week went similar to that first Tuesday and I was constantly in agony. Samantha's scent kept inducing me to have these wild and outrageous fantasies of ways to drink her blood. I could not help myself; it was as though her scent was a hallucinogen to me and would produce these vivid scenes into my mind. I felt bad for Alice because the imagery in my head would cause her to see a future of Samantha and I similar to the very first one she saw. I felt revolted with myself for even condoning such thoughts of perversion, of such lust filled ways to quench my thirst. I have never been so disappointed and angered with myself in all my 107 years of existence.

The only people I confided my troubles in detail with were Alice and Carlisle. Carlisle was supportive of whatever decision I would make, as always, but he wasn't much help since he's never seen a human scent take an affect on a vampire quite like this before. He only told me to do what's right for myself.

---

The weekend I went hunting with my brothers and they obviously saw the troubles I was in. They questioned me about it, and I decided to tell them, to a certain extent.

"Samantha is strange, stranger than Bella was," Jasper muses. I feel a twinge in my never beating heart but I ignore it, I left Bella so she could move on from me.

"Come on, Bella was pretty strange Jazz," Emmett laughs and Jasper chuckles in response.

"I meant in a different way. Samantha seems more in tune with her emotions and she's more aware of them. She's more alert to her surroundings than a normal human is." I nod, agreeing with Jasper. She did seem to be more aware of her feelings, the perfect example the first day of volleyball with Jasper and Emmett. "And I wonder why you can only hear mumbles of her thoughts," Jasper muses once again. Emmett laughs loudly and I chuckle with him as he remembers Samantha's outburst.

"She's got a lot of spunk in her, I'll tell ya that,"

"She does," I remark smiling slightly, recalling when she childishly stuck her tongue out at me, it was something Alice would do. No wonder Alice thinks she would get along with the dark brown haired human.

"It could get her into a lot of trouble though," Jasper says seriously, I glare at him, I didn't like where his thoughts were going,

"What do you mean?" Emmett asks.

"She wouldn't get herself into situations like those" I growl at him, already defensive of Samantha. I shouldn't be though; she's just a human with a brilliant scent like none other, that's _all _she was to me, that's all she was _supposed_ to be to me.

"She is very protective of the ones she loves. I could feel it in her, it radiates out of her body. Like how she was willing to protect her pets from you, how she was willing to get herself killed in order to save the life of a _dog_. If she is willing to sacrifice herself for a pet, it would be like speaking English for her to protect one of her friends or family members. It's just natural for her, like breathing."

"She's not an idiot Jazz, it only took her a moment to realize that Alice and I were some how communicating with each other during English. She wouldn't…"

"Humans don't rationalize reasonably Edward, at least the more selfless kind don't. They rather protect the life of another than to preserve their own; it's completely irrational, admirable, but irrational; especially when the majority of the human race is quite selfish."

I suppress a growl since I knew he was right.

----

Monday of the next week, I was more prepared and I kept telling myself that I would not be distracted by Samantha in anyway shape or form, I would completely pay no attention to her. So when it was time to smell her beautiful aroma, to step into that cafeteria, I was baffled when I hear Alice's sad and confused thoughts. I entered the eating area to see an empty seat next to the strawberry blonde friend of Samantha. Where was she? I probed Emily's nearly identical to Roaslie's way of thinking mind to see that Samantha was sick. But something wasn't right with that statement in her mind. There was no recollection of Samantha ever getting sick, no memory of Samantha falling ill. I decided to let it go though; Emily must be more of the self absorbed type of humans to not be concerned with her ailing friend. I let it go for the rest of that week.

If I thought I was miserable before with Samantha's scent, I was flat out dejected and depressed when it was missing. I had gotten too accustomed to Samantha's luxurious aroma and I felt empty without the sent hovering around me. I was not the only one affected either, Alice was distraught with grief. I had underestimated the connection Alice felt with Samantha. I hadn't realized that that the blue eyed girl's scent had an impact on all of my family members.

Alice and I had the worst of it, me because I was around it the most while Alice had her impossibly strong desire of friendship with Samantha. Jasper was also affected which I was surprised to hear at first, but then I realized why he would be. Samantha is an athlete, from what I discovered by listening to her conversations with her new friends during lunch, and by actually paying attention to the humans' thoughts who were interested in her, which made me more than uncomfortable. And as an athlete she finds much joy in playing all sorts of sports. During gym in the first week, her mood would be so relaxed and happy, nearly blissful since she was playing a sport, so Jasper would naturally want to be around her good emotional climate. Therefore he was suffering because of the sudden loss of euphoric sentiment that surrounded her. Emmett was even slightly upset since he enjoyed watching her try to compete with him and Jasper and he missed that. Rosalie really didn't care since she didn't have the experience of meeting Samantha.

Soon one week turned into two weeks and there was still no sign of Samantha. Alice tried looking into Samantha's future but everything was too undecided that she could see nothing; either that, or it was because Samantha was not in Haines any longer and since Alice didn't know Samantha well, she wouldn't be able to see her future. That frustrated us even more. We had asked if she was emitted into the hospital since Emily elaborated her story even more to make Samantha sound like she was dying. Carlisle said that story was false. It further aggravated Alice and I that Emily would not think of Samantha so I couldn't read what happened to her. I hated this feeling of not knowing where she was, what was wrong with her, I hated not knowing.


	6. Chapter 6

KKKk this chapter explains where Samantha disapeared to O.o!! two chapters in one day WOOT WOOT!!

enjoy, please review PLEASE!!

standard disclaimer

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Friday, October 10

I walk up the rickety steps to the attic of Emily's aunt's home after school. We were going to go shopping tomorrow so that Scott, Emily and I could all "personalize" and "individualize" our bedrooms. I thought that, that could be fun…ish. I set my school books and bag on the floor and I hop on my bed to so some thinking of today. I wanted to think of all of my teachers and all of the new friends I made so quickly it is quite scary, but all I could think about were the Cullen's. I thought about Alice. Were we friends? I wasn't sure. We never actually held a conversation aside from the 'need the notes?' on the very first day of school for me. All we do is smile whenever we see each other. We never even say hi and that sort of depresses me. Every morning I want to say hi to her but she's so beautiful and she intimidates me…which is weird since I want to be friends with her so badly!...which is also really weird because I have never wanted to be friends with someone so badly before in my life! Everyone always kind of gravitated towards me and asked me if they wanted to be friends, but it was probably because of Emily, but that's beside the point. She's so adorable and she's a full head shorter than I am. Alice is so gracefully it's unbelievable; all the Cullen's are for that matter. They move like liquid silk. They are all perfectly shaped like gods. They are all so beautiful.

My thoughts move to Emmett and Rosalie. It's an interesting pair. Even though I have never really met Rosalie, she seems very intense by the way she looks at everyone. She has an air about her that she's better than the world. Which is probably true, she is beyond the rest of us in her glorious beauty. I guess maybe it's not really that interesting. Emmett and Rosalie are both very attractive, and Emmett's pretty funny, though he never really talks to me but that too is beside the point.

Are Jasper and Alice an interesting pair? I mean, he always looks as though he is in some sort of pain and is always stiff and rigid while Alice is constantly prancing around and dancing wonderfully and elegantly. But then again the way they look at each other, it was like they were looking into the other's soul. I am not going to lie, I envy what they have.

Then there was Edward, the unpaired one of the group. I was so unbelievably confused about him. That night in the woods still is fresh in my mind and I don't think that I could ever forget it. But I was still so unsure about what he is! Is he human? Is he a creature? I did not know! And not to mention that I absolutely hate him! The way he is always glaring at me like I committed a murderous crime against him when in reality he was the one who was trying to kill me! So he was the one who committed the murderous…nearly murderous crime, so ha! At least in what I believe to be reality, I think. And what is with him always glaring at Alice? What did she ever do to him!? She's just an adorable little person and with their private little conversations without talking or sign language he is always scolding her! Why! And that beautiful smug little crooked smile of his when he walks by our table and we (and by we I mean Emily, Rachel, Antoinette, and Zoe) just so happen to be talking about him and he just so happens to hear us even though we barely talk above a whisper like he has super hearing or something. Yes, now let's at super hearing to the list of why Edward Cullen is so amazing! Arg! Why is he so amazing when he is such a jerk? He is handsome, beautiful, sexy, graceful, elegant, and fashionable; his hair is amazing I just want to stare at it all day long and his golden eyes that look like liquefied gold. But he is such a jerk! He's always has a scowl on his precious face…but then again when he smiles at his family it's breath taking and completely lovely, but he's a jerk! But I don't really know him and he is simple lovely, but he tried to kill me! But does that matter, I mean really? What am I thinking of COURSE that matters!

By this time I realize that I have been pacing the width of the attic.

I groan and smack my forehead. I totally have a crush on Edward Cullen! No I can't. I can't do that to Emily when she has clearly likes him. She would be devastated if I crushed on him. And he's a jerk anyway. So no, Edward unofficial belongs to Emily. I sigh and sit on my bed, but I totally miss it and fall to the floor on my butt. "Dumb, stupid Edward Cullen!" I curse under my breath as I just sit there. My phone starts ringing its random tune so I begrudgingly crawl on my hands and knees over to my school bag and get it out and answer it without looking at the caller ID. "Hello?"

"_Samantha!"_ sobs Sharron and I sit up immediately alert. Sharron is one of my closest friends that I left behind in Smithtown.

"Sharron, what's wrong?"

"_Oh god, Samantha," _she sobs again, _"It's Ash,"_

"Sharron what happened to Ash, is she OK? What happened, Sharron, please tell me," I urge getting desperate now, nothing made Sharron cry.

"…_Samantha Ashley k…she killed herself!" _She gasps. I stop breathing and couldn't find my voice even though I have so many questions. After a long silence from me meanwhile Sharron just sobs hysterically I finally come around.

"She…she what?" I squeak.

"_Oh please don't make me say it again Samantha,"_

"No of course not. H-how?" oh yes, I am morbid to wonder how one of my best friends killed herself.

"_Sh-……She threw herself in front of a subway train in Penn Station," _And that's when I dropped the phone. I couldn't breath, I started gasping. We talked about this. We _TALKED_ about how we would want to die! Ashley and I talked about this a month before the accident that Emily and Scott's parents were killed in. She told me when I was sleeping over her house that she wouldn't be able to live without me. She said to me,

"_Hey Samantha, I just wanted to say that I love you, you are my best friend you are my sister you are my everything to me, and I…if anything happened to you, or if you moved, or something, I…I don't think I could live without you." _

I had touched her cheek gently and said that I would be lost without her and that I needed her more than anything as well. Oh god this is my fault. I didn't take her seriously, not as seriously as I should have, oh no, she killed herself because of me! My best friend! Emily and Ashley were my two best friends, and now, oh god no.

"_S-Sa-Samantha?" _I pick up the receiver,

"Yes?" my voice goes up an octave.

"_L-look I k-know you're in Alas-ska but…"_

"Of course I'll be home as soon as possible, don't worry, I'm coming, I'm coming back home Sharron."

"_Oh god Samantha, it's horrible, the police are involved and they are going to question everyone,"_

"When did she…when did it happen?"

"_Yesterday,"_

"…OK, I'm coming, can I stay with you?"

"_Yes of course, you know my family always welcomes you with open arms." _

"OK good, I'm going to tell Emily and Darleen, and go figure a way out home,"

"_OK, I love you Samantha,"_

"I love you too Shannon" I hang up the phone and breathe. I stand up and walk to Emily's bedroom where Scott was as well.

"Hey Sam, s'up?' Scott asks. My grip on the door knob tightens.

"Um…I…have to go back home,"

"What why, what happened, is everyone OK?" asks Emily, seeing immediately that something was wrong.

"Ash…Ashley…committed suicide," my voice brakes as Emily rushes to me and hugs me in a death grip, tears coming from her eyes.

"Oh Samantha! I'm so sorry!" she cries into my shoulder. Thank god for Emily, I was on the verge of tears, and I really couldn't cry, not now. Whenever I see other people cry it stops my own flood of tears from coming. At the moment I needed to be strong.

"I'm going back to Smithtown, everyone's upset and the police are involved. And I want to be there for the funeral service, I have to go, like as soon as possible."

"Oh my god, yeah, um I'll go get Aunt Darleen and tell her what's going on," Emily's hair rushes past me, I feel so numb. Scott stands up from the bed and stares at me awkwardly. Everything is a blur, everything is so disconnected and unreal and I feel like I'm in a dream, but one of those dreams where everything is so real. I look up when I feel two heavy hands on my shoulders and look into Scott's hazel eyes.

"Do you uh, want Em and I to come with you?" he asks. I shake my head after a moment.

"It's better if I go alone. I-uh…I need to go pack…" I stammer, still my brain, numb…I felt like I couldn't think. I drift away from Scott's touch which was making me uncomfortable. I didn't want to feel anything right now. I wanted to be alone, all of a sudden, but I couldn't, people needed me, my friends needed me…to be strong for them. I needed to be strong so that…they could see how to be strong, they needed someone to fall back on, and…and…and that was me, it's always me, it has to be me, I have the most experience with death. I mean, death, death _follows_ me. First my parents, Emily's parents, Ashley…

I stop on the stairs to the attic, gripping the rail for dear life. I am a magnet for death. Everything…everyone I love dies. I hear Darleen come running up the first flight of stairs, and I quickly make my way up to my room and start packing my clothes. "Sam!" She comes rushing through the open door and jostles me until I am face to face with her. "Sam, are you OK?"

"Yes, I need to get back to Smithtown," She nods ferociously.

"Yes, yes of course! Oh my poor Sam!" she hugs my head into her chest. "First you were in that horrible accident now this! Oh my you must be so traumatized!" she gushes. I was traumatized, but not in the way she was thinking.

"I need to back" my words are muffled by her sweater.

"Alright pack! I'll get you a plane ticket and I'll have Ron drive you to the airport, oh my poor Sam!" she kisses my forehead and rushes out. I was beginning to feel light headed. So much was going on all at once. Emily silently takes over packing for me while I sit on the bed.

---

The next thing I was really aware of was when Sharron was in my arms, sobbing like a mad woman. I had dropped my carry on bags and just held her, whispering soothing words into her ear. "I'm here Sharron, I'm here, don't worry, everything will be fine," I kept saying as her parents looked for my other luggage which had my name on the handles. I didn't understand why death happened around me, why so much death happened to the ones I loved. Couldn't death just take me and leave my family alone? This was surely a sign that I was going to die soon. I didn't understand why death had to take my loved ones too.

The Motsinger's house was cover in a blanket of grief. Mr. Motsinger, Sharron's father, was going to take me to the police station for questioning in the morning, Sharron would be coming too since she also needed to be questioned. But for the time being I needed to sleep even though I wasn't tired. Alaska is four hours behind in time and I had just gotten used to the time difference.

Saturday, October, 11

I sit in the metal chair as a detective walks in the room. "Samantha L. Hunter?" The woman asks. She was a tall and lean woman with a hard and stern face. She wore little make-up and a black suit. I nod my head, uncertain how my voice could come out. "My name is Karol Mathins, you can just call me Karol. It is to my understanding that you and Ashley M. Cravat were considered best friends, correct?" I nod my head again. "You know Sam, do you mind if I call you Sam?" she asks in a softer tone. I shrug a shoulder, still not trusting my voice. "Alright, you know Sam, you aren't in trouble, you did nothing wrong, we just want to find out why Ashley would commit suicide," I look at my hands that are shoved in between my legs. But it was my fault. "So, do you know why Ashley would do this?" I nod my head for the third time. "Could you tell me?" once again, I nod my head. I close my eyes and take a deep breath. I needed to be strong. I open my eyes and place my hands on the steel like table.

"A few months ago," my voice was steady but wasn't very loud, "sometime during the summer, I was over at Ashley's house. We were just hanging out in her room when she said to me, 'hey Samantha,'" my voice cracks at my own name. I take a stabilizing breath and continue, "'I just wanted to say that I love you, you are my best friend you are my sister you are my everything to me, and I…if anything happened to you, or if you moved, or something, I…I don't think I could live without you.'" I hesitate after that, "I said to her, 'I would be lost without you Ash and I need you more than anything, I love you too my sister'

"I should have taken her more seriously. But I didn't think of it more than a display of affection from her. Then right before school started all of us we hanging out at Emily's house,"

"Who's Emily?" Karol asks, looking through a folder.

"My friend, Emily Stevenson. Uh, my parents died and Emily's parents Kevin and Karen adopted me since my parents, Renee and Michael Hunter and they were such good friends and I didn't have any other family members. Both of my parents were only children and all of my grandparents died already. So I was living with the Stevenson family since I was s-seven," I hate that number, I could never say it! I needed to stop stuttering whenever I said it.

"Where is Emily now?"

"In Haines Alaska. Just recently Kevin, Karen and I were in a car accident and they were killed. So Emily, Scott, and I, uh Scott's Emily's older brother, we moved to Alaska because that's where Emily's aunt live and she is legally responsibly for us now."

"Oh," she says sympathetically. I could tell by the look in her brown eyes that she was thinking the same thing Darleen was when she found out yet another death happened in my life. "Um, please, go on,"

"Emily is my other best friend, but she and Ashley weren't exactly friends,"

"They didn't like each other?" Karol inquires,

"No, no, they were very nice to each other and they got along, but they just weren't really friends. They had no quarrel between them or anything, they only met through me."

"Ah, I see," she scribbles on a piece of paper, "please continue,"

"So, we were at Emily's house…uh, my house too, I guess…but anyway, everyone was there…"

"Could you name them?"

"Yeah, uh me, Ashley, Emily, Sharron, Brian, Maria, Rob, and Kim." She continues to write,

"Uh-huh,"

"Yeah, um, so we were just talking about this and that and the topic of death came up. So I don't recall who but someone asked how would you want to die. Everyone said different things; some went into more detail than was necessary but oh well. Ashley said that…" I take a breath and stare up at the ceiling, "…she said that she would throw herself in front of the subway train. We asked her why and she said just to do so. Lots of people take the subway and ya see it in movies all the time, and she was curious. None of us thought anything of it since people went into more detail than she did."

"How did you say you wanted to die?"

"I had said that I wanted to die doing some sort of extreme sport, like skydiving or bungee jumping or something."

"Why's that?"

"To get one last final thrill in life." My sentence came out more of a sigh. "Ashley was a very emotional person and a perfectionist. She was emotionally unstable, she would crack under the slightest pressure, but we would always help her out and things would be fine. I never thought that with me leaving, she would be hurt so badly…I shouldn't have left," I whisper.

Tuesday, October, 21

We all sat around the living room mourning the only way we knew how. We played Wii games and ate loads of ice cream and junk food, loads. We have pretty much been doing this for the past ten days. The whole gang was at Sharron's house, minus Emily and Ashley, we all pretty much lived here ever since Ashley's suicide. The funeral was tomorrow, we were all going, and none of us went to school since recent events. Our group may be small, but it was tightly connected with bonds made of thick steel cords. All of our parents were mourning as well and they mourned the way adults can, by going to a bar. Surprisingly, our parents were all friends the way we were. "Pass the cookie dough…" someone moans. I toss the warm half missing dough in the direction of the voice, "Thaaaanks," Rob moans again. I prop my legs up over the part of the couch where the person's back is supposed to go. Rob and Maria were sitting the same way. Kim was sitting in between Maria and I, idly playing Wii tennis with her elbows propped on her knees and her chin resting in the hand without the Wii remote.

"Ya know, we won't be able to fit in our funeral clothes," I comment, licking the spoon clean of some room temperature brownie mixture.

"That's gunna suck. I'm gunna have massive acne from eating all of this shit man," Kim says bored as she shoves some caramel popcorn in her mouth, half of it missing completely. I chuckle, then so does Rob.

"Wee bit uncoordinated there Kimmy?" Rob laughs. Kim flings some chips at him. "Dude is Brian sleeping?"

"Yeah, he's been knocked out for a while," Maria answers him. "He took some Nyquil, Benadryl, Tylonel, and some other PM crap. He's been sick for like a week."

"This whole thing probably isn't helping him get any better," Sharron says, coming from her kitchen with a pan of warm brownie mix goo. We all agreed. "So Samantha, tell us about Haines Alaska," she sits down next to me as I up right myself on the couch.

"Any penguins?" Maria asks,

"Maria, there are no penguins in Alaska you retard," Kin scolds while staring at the television.

"Ya never know," Maria replies nonchalantly.

"Anyway…" Sharron looks to me.

"Nah, I haven't seen any penguins. Emily's aunt's kinda…weird, but OK I guess. The High School has 108 and eight people this year, including Emily and me." There is a collective 'oooh' in the way that you might say when a guy get's kicked in the crotch. "Yeap, everyone is so friendly. They want to know everything about you, _everything._"

"Oh man, that really sucks," Kim adds.

"Any cute boys?" Rob asks, yes Rob is gay.

"I guess…I mean I haven't really noticed any _cute_ ones…"

"Oooooohh my god, Samantha is crushing, tell us EVERYTHING!" Sharron says turning to me, her brown eyes gleaming for the first time in days. She is also one of my best friends. I mean, all of my friends were my best friends, but Emily was one because I have none her since birth and I know her the best and we just know when to do or say what around each other during certain times. Ashley and I were best friends because I could tell her anything and vice versa, she relied on my mental strength to get her through life…so when I left…she did…too…Sharron and I were best friends because we were so much alike, she knew _me_ inside out better than anyone.

"Well, it's complicated. But I can't crush on him,"

"Why not?" Maria asks

"Got a girlfriend?" Rob asks.

"No, Emily likes him,"

Kim yells some profanity, "Screw Emily!" Kim isn't very found of my friend.

"Anyway, just forget about that for the time and tell us his name, looks, ect!" Sharron urges.

"His name is Edward Cullen and he is beautiful. I mean he is godly, and so is the rest of his family. Edward has beautiful…nearly golden brown eyes," I lie a wee bit, there was really no need for questions, "and he is impossibly pale but it is simply stunning. His hair is incredibly done and it's a wonderful bronze color. He is graceful and elegant and has amazing fashion sense. He has the most dazzling crooked smile I ever did see,

"The rest of his family is just as stunning as he is and he's a junior by the way and is in 3 of my classes. His sister, Alice Cullen is simply…amazing. She's in 2 of my classes and is a junior as well. She is so short, a full head shorted than me. And she's very energetic in such a lovely graceful way. Then there is Alice's boyfriend," those words didn't sound right together like that to me, "Jasper Hale. He is taller than Edward by a few inches, oh, Edward is like a head taller than me, but Jasper has crazy blonde hair and is simply gorgeous just like his brothers. Next comes Emmett Cullen, he is huge, and he kinda reminds me of a bear. But he has short black hair and is really funny, both Jasper and Emmett are in my gym class. Next is Rosalie Hale, Emmett's girlfriend," that also didn't quite sound right, I wanted to use a more powerful weird but I couldn't. "She is so beautiful with her stunning long blonde hair."

"Wait…how are they family when Alice and Jasper and Emmett and Rosalie are dating?" Kim asks.

"They are adopted by Dr. Carlisle Cullen, he works at Forks' hospital, and I've never met him or his wife. But all of them are so godly and pose and, and amazingly pale."

"That's so weird. OK, but why can't you crush on Ed?" Kim asks.

"It's _Edward_," I correct her, "and it's because Emily has already claimed him hers and also, he's kind of a jerk to me, he's always glaring at me and ugh I kinda hate him," Kim and Rob laugh at me,

"Samantha you are so screwed in the head," I shrug one shoulder,'

"Yeah, what else is new?" And the conversation faded. No one really wanted to put much effort into keeping it moving anyway. Normally we'd all be gushing and more talkative, but everyone was just being plain lazy and depressed.

Wednesday, October, 22

I had to borrow something of Sharron's to wear; I didn't have any formal clothing apparel. It was a simple black V-neck dress that went just above the knees and a pair of flat black boots with a simple black light material sweater with no buttons or zippers. Lucky Sharron and I were the same size; we played soccer and lacrosse together. I didn't wear any of my bandages either. My wounds were relatively healed; all that was left was some small bruising and a few scars, nothing too noticeable. Our gang, now a member short forever, huddled in the corner of the lobby area. Everyone was crying and I was comforting as many people as I could when suddenly someone roughly turns me around and slaps me across my cheek. The entire room goes silent as the jingle of jewelry and heaving breaths are heard. I look to who slapped me.

"How _dare_ you show your face at my daughter's funeral," Mrs. Cravat growls deadly at me. My eyes were wide, not of fear, but of shock, as was everyone else's eyes. Mrs. Cravat, Ashley's mother, was the kindest person we all knew, she was the most anti war and violence person ever, and here she is, slapping a teenager. Her green eyes were red from crying and her make up was dripping down her face. She slaps me again. "How _DARE _you come here! It's YOUR fault she's dead! You knew she was suicidal! You KNEW that if you left she would have killed herself! You could have stopped her but you didn't! You bitch!" she slaps me again. I just stand there and take it. She was right and I knew it.

"I'm sorry,"

_SLAP_

"Don't you even say that to me! Sorry won't bring back my baby girl!" She begins to sob as she slaps me again. The guilt became 100 times heavier than it was when I first realized Ashley's death was because of me.

"I know, I know it's my fault that Ashley is dead," I whisper,

_SLAP_

"You have no RIGHT to even SPEAK her NAME to me!!" she sobs hysterically.

"I know, I take full responsibility for your daughter's death, Mrs. Cravat,"

_SLAP_

"I know there is nothing I could say or do to bring her back," she slaps me again, but it was weaker, her whole body was shaking from her sobs, her face was looking at the hard wood floor. "All I can say is I'm truly sorry," she slaps me again, but her hand falls to my shoulder for support, the floor was wet from her tears. I gently grab hold of her and rub her back as she cries into my shoulder all I could whisper was "I'm sorry" into her hair.

Finally the room began to breathe again as Mr. Cravat gently takes hold of his wife's shoulder and she leans into him; my shoulder was soaked. He gives me an apologetic look when he goes to say something on behalf of his wife, but I just smile at him and mouthed, 'it's OK, I understand," he hesitates then nods before taking her away.

----

After the funeral we all went our separate ways, I went with Sharron and her parents. I sit on the porch of Sharron's house. The night air was warm and perfectly breezy as it blew my hair everywhere. I leaned against the railing hugging my knees. I would be returning to Haines soons. Part of me wanted to go while the other wanted to stay so badly.

"Samantha?" I turn around to see my friend with wide brown eyes staring at me with uncertainty.

"Hey Sharron," I smile at her, though I know the smile didn't reach my eyes.

"How's your cheek?" she asks, as she stands leaning against the door frame of the back door to her house, her arms crossed over her black blouse.

"It's fine," I mumble. Sharron stares at the wooden porch floor for a long while and I return to stare at her dark backyard. Her black knee length skirt blew in the breeze.

"You know, Mrs. Cravat had no right to hit you like she did!" Sharron stomps and hovers over me, flailing her arms as she rants, "I mean, you did absolutely nothing wrong!" her voice goes up an octave or four. "She CAN NOT blame this on you! How could you have known that Ash would have killed herself! You are no way responsible for this, and Samantha I do not want to hear you take the blame for this any longer!"

"Sharron, someone has to. Mrs. Cravat decided to blame me and I accepted the responsibility if it will help her heal," Sharron comes and sits next to me on the steps.

"Samantha, you couldn't have known," Sharron's light touch on my shoulder was very comforting as she whispers to me.

"Sharron, it's fine…I'm…I'm used to it anyway." Sharron looks at me with confusion.

"What do you mean?"

"When Emily's parent's died, she blamed me for a little while, and some how, that made her heal quicker. She's apologized for blaming me, she never meant to…"

We were silent for a long time. We just sat on her porch looking at the dark sky, each consumed in our own thoughts.

Saturday, October 25

It was around 4 in the afternoon here in New York, so that meant it was 8 in the evening in Alaska. I decided to call Emily; I haven't spoken to her in 15 days. The phone only rang once before Emily answered,

"_Samanthaaa! Oh it's so good to hear from you! I have missed you so much you have no idea how horrible it's been here without you! Even Scott is depressed! All of the kids at school have been worried sick about you!"_

"Hello to you too Emily,"

"_Oh god it's been so boring here at Aunt Darleen's house. Josh is annoying the hell out of me and Aunt Darleen made me change her baby's diaper oh my god it was so gross! Nothing really happened in school, Edward hasn't asked me out yet which sucks."_

"It does,"

"_I've been telling everyone that you had like, the flu, I knew you wouldn't want me to tell them that one of your friend's committed suicide and the police were questioning you, that would cause so much gossip in such a small school, your reputation would be shot, even though you don't really have one…"_

"Thanks Emily,"

"_So when are you coming back?"_

"I'll be leaving tomorrow; the plane should land around 1 in the afternoon,"

"_Oh that's fantastic news Samantha that really is! How is everybody?"_

"Um…everyone's kinda in the process of healing at the moment,"

"_How was the funeral?"_

"It was nice…for a funeral I guess…" I left out the information of Mrs. Cravat hitting me.

"_Good, good. I'll be at the airport tomorrow to come and pick you up. I have a surprise for you!"_

"What is it?" I should have had more enthusiasm, but I was just drained from these past two weeks.

"_I decorated your bedroom for you!"_

"Really? That's so awesome, I totally trust your sense of style and your knowledge of what I like and dislike," I yawn.

"_You should! Oh Samantha you'll love it!" _she squeals, _"It'll get your mind off of all of this depressing stuff," _

"I'm sure it will, I'm gunna go Emily, I still got some things to pack and whatnot,"

"_Oh yeah, of course, I'll see you tomorrow my darling Samantha!" _

"Bye Emily," I hang up and through the phone onto my carryon bag. These past two weeks made me realize what I really was. I was a magnet of death, and because of my unfortunate luck to be curse with this, I have vowed to protect everyone I love. No one is going to die if I'm around. I refuse to see my family die any longer.


	7. Chapter 7

sorry it's been a while

enjoy

and reveiw like always ^_^

* * *

"Have fun kids! Sam, if you need me just give me a call at the house," and with that Darleen and her mini van drive away. Emily, Josh and I stand in front of the school.

"You're going to have a lot of work to make up," Josh mumbles to me. Emily looks at him outrageously while I just stare at him. That's the first sentence he's spoken to me since after the first day we arrived. I nod my head slowly before coming to my senses.

"Yeah, I definitely will,"

"If you need help, uh, just uh, let me know." Josh walks across the street and merges into the crowd of students walking into the building. Emily and I just stare after her cousin.

"Well that was just plain weird," Emily says as she walks across the street. I go to follow her but a car is coming so I wait and step back onto the sidewalk. Bad mistake since the car drives into a puddle, completely soaking me. I hear Emily's loud cackle from the other side of the street and when I finally open my eyes I see her on her knees, laughing hysterically. I start chuckling as I shake my head. I walk across the street and completely walk by her with a huge smile and blush on my face. "Samantha…wait!" she gasps between laughing. She finally catches up to me. "Oh Samantha," I roll my eyes, still smiling, even though I am starting to get a chill. We are stopped by Antoinette and Rachel.

"What happened to you?"

"Car ran through a puddle," I smile.

"No I meant you were absent for two weeks," Antoinette says.

"Ooh…I was sick, I get sick easily." And my good mood has been dampened, thank you Antoinette. I really shouldn't blame her; my moment of happiness would have subsided once my mind came back to the cruelty of reality. Once again, thank god for Emily as she steals the conversation away from me and turns it into something about her. My eyes drift over to the parking lot to see a silver car pulling into a parking spot.

"That's the Cullen's silver Volvo by the way," Rachel whispers to me without disturbing the other's conversation. "Oh" I say as return my gaze to the Volvo. The five Cullen's step out and the first I see is Alice. She looks in my direction with a blank face then she beams brightly at me. I smile at her and I give her a small half wave. She…seemed pleased to see me, as she returns my half wave with a short one of her own. Jasper looks at her strangely then looks to me, he looked relaxed for the first time and he seemed…pleased, like Alice was. Rosalie and Emmett get out of the car next, Emmett subtly does a sort of head nod smirk greeting thing that guys tended to do when he sees me, and so I did the same. Rosalie says something to him and looks in my direction, but she had no emotion, just, curiosity. Edward steps out of the car and I can see him smiling already, as if he just heard an inside joke. Alice looks back to him and he looks at her, still smiling. Jasper says something that the whole family hears and Emmett and Rosalie laugh. Alice laughs as well and Edward glares at them all and starts walking without them. Emmett laughs even louder, hugging Rosalie closer to him and I could practically hear him say, "Come one Edward, it was just a joke!"

I suddenly felt a sort of pang in my chest. I wanted to be with the Cullen's, I wanted to join them because…well I didn't know why. I desired their friendship, I wanted to, in a sense, be apart of their family. I longed for them. I didn't understand this.

Jasper looks over his shoulder back to me, I couldn't understand his expression and then Edward looks back at Jasper with a look of…pain, discomfort?

"Come on Samantha" Emily beckons.

---

Finally the end of third period came and I was still very wet and now cold. When I go to Emily's English room she compliments my hair. "You know, the wet hair look actually looks really good on you Samantha, I'm not going to lie, it really does," she marvels at my hair. "And just so you know, every guy is staring at you,"

"What, why?" I asked alarmed, I didn't want that especially not now. All through my first three periods of class, I could only focus on Ashley and my family back home and why I had a sudden desire to be apart of the Cullen family.

"Um, Samantha, your shirt is wet," she says slowly and I look down at my maroon button up blouse, "and when a girl's shirt gets wet, it clings to her breasts," she nods at me like I'm some idiotic kindergartener.

"How obnoxious," I sigh. At the lunch table I just picked at my food. I couldn't do anymore than that. I didn't pay attention to the conversations surrounding me. My mind was on other matters that I have been thinking about all day.

I have been thinking about the feelings I felt this morning towards the Cullen's. What I felt, was jealousy, and it wasn't the type of jealousy everyone else felt towards them (which was because of their god-like appearances). I envied them because of their bonds with each other, how strong their family was, or seemed to be. I wanted that. I wanted to have a stable family; I desired to have one family. I wanted to have what they have. Not that I didn't love my own family, it's just, different. My loved ones are either dead or not my real family. I wanted to have to stop adjusting, I wanted stability. I wanted to be able to have a mental break down for once; I wanted to be able to lean on someone else and not have to be the strong one. I always felt like a guest, a roaming guest with no true place to call home.

I'm not saying that if I could, I would change any of my family or friends, no, never. And I know that it is my responsibility in life to be strong. I am the one that is the stabilizer, the rock. I know my duty in life. I save my beloveds from any pain of theirs, I save them from hurt, at least I try too, some things are just out of my saving abilities. I just wished… that, maybe for once, someone could save me from my pain.

Emily touches my shoulder gently and I look at her. Everyone was conversing politely among themselves, giving Emily and I a private moment; but they were interested in what we had to say as they keep watching us out of the corner of their eyes. "Do you want to leave school early?" Emily whispers tenderly to me, our faces were very close so that the others wouldn't be able to eavesdrop. I shake my head,

"Mm, no, I've already missed too much work as it is," my voice was thick and husky which surprised me greatly; it sounded as if I was crying.

"OK," Emily brushes my damp hair, "why don't you go to the bathroom and wash your face?" she suggests,

"Was I…?" …crying? I rub my eyes searching for wetness,

"No you weren't, just go and wash your face," she says, a small sympathetic smile reaches her glossy lips. I nod my head, somewhat stunned as I grab my bag and head to the restrooms. I pass the Cullen's table and I don't even glance at them, the irrational jealousy was already hurting too much.

---

I was relieved for gym. Volleyball ended which I was sorry for because then I wouldn't have time with Emmett and Jasper and that added to the hurt in my heart. We were just beginning tennis and the brother's were obviously partners. I ended up partnering with Justin, well, he claimed me as his partner, I didn't argue. We maintained a court and we were about to start, but Justin had to tie his shoelaces. While waiting for him I see two beautifully gorgeous brothers walking by to the court next to us. Emmett and Jasper were having a heated discussion. Jasper looked very smug as he walked to the other side of the court, the same side that I was on. "You're going down Jazz, you are so going down!" Emmett points at Jasper viciously. I couldn't help myself from laughing. Emmett looks at me, still smiling, "Yeah, what are you laughin' at?" he calls to me, I just keep laughing as I answer,

"You," Emmett looks to Jasper and I look to him as well. Jasper was smiling with the rest of us. Thank god for sports. Nothing can put my mind into a state of serenity quite like athletic competition.

"Uh, S-Sam, you wanna serve?" Justin calls timidly. I turn to him, my smile still on my face and then he smiles as well. Smiles are just contagious aren't they?

----

I made it to my chemistry class early so that I could get all of the work that I missed. Mr. Rickman was giving me grief about how I wouldn't tell him specifically why I was absent for two whole weeks. I told him what I told every other teacher, I had a family emergency back in New York and I gave him the note from the principle excusing my absence; the principle was the only person who knew any necessary details of the subject.

Edward sits in his seat and scoots himself as far away from me as possible. I look at him as his hard black eyes stare forward. He was still as tense as ever and he still hated me. I sigh and prop my chin on my hand as I look forward as well, but with bored eyes. The small happy high from gym has depleted and Edward's cold shoulder to me has brought my depression back. I'm no longer angry with him, it just took up too much energy and I got so tired of it. Also, well because I didn't like hating him, it made me feel uneasy. That's most likely because I was actually very fond of him and I didn't want to hate him. I wanted to talk to him but I honestly don't think that, that will ever happen.

It gets harder to breathe, I wanted to cry. Just suddenly in this classroom, sitting next to Edward Cullen, I wanted to cry forever. It's like a sudden realization of how everyone around me dies. I lose everyone I love. I am such a death magnet. Why does this happen? I can't understand why everyone I care about needs to suffer? Why can't I just be the one to suffer? Is everyone that is dear to me suffering for the sins I've made? If so, why can't I just be the one who suffers and not anyone else? Would all of this pain for my family end if I was no longer in existence? Is it really too much to ask the universe for that no one I love suffer any longer? Is it too much to ask for all of the pain my friends suffer and be focused on me? Is that really too much?!

I sob tearlessly for a minute. I couldn't find my breath. I just wanted everyone's pain to stop. Ashley's mother pops in my head. I should have done something to stop Ashley.

Emily and Scott's parents emerge next. If I didn't have soccer practice, if I didn't go, they wouldn't be dead because of the car crash, it would have never happened and Emily and Scott wouldn't be suffering.

Then I see my parents…

I gasp again; the lump in my throat makes it harder to breathe. I grip the side of the table as my eyes begin to sting.

Why did they die? What did I do at 7 years old to bring death upon them? I remember the thieves, they, they just came to steal, and kill my parents. But, but I must have done something wrong. When Ashley killed herself it was because I left her, it was my fault! When Katherine and Kevin were killed it was because I was adopted by them and enrolled onto the soccer team and they had to drive me to and from practice, see?! My fault again! Everyone suffers because of something _I _did! But…but what did I do when mom and dad were murdered!?!?

I dig my nails into the black table. My breathing is irregular. I feel like I am completely loosing my mind! What did I do to make my parents die?! Death only happens because of something I did! That's the pattern! Don't you see the pattern?! Why…but…why did they die!!? Why were they murdered?!? WHAT DID I DO!?

Edward clears his throat and my head snaps to him. I don't know what expression I had on my face, but his vicious glare turned to a look filled with guilt, sorrow, anguish, pain, pity, distress, agony…the list could go on. We just stared at each other like that for I don't know how long. Eventually I felt my body regain its composure and I sit back in my chair, completely out of breath. I grab my head and groan quietly; an unwelcomed headache was coming rather swiftly. I survey the room; no one seemed to notice my little meltdown, aside from Edward. My eyes wearily lock onto his flawless facial features; it looked as though he wanted to say something, but he was unsure. He looks to me. My blue eyes lock with his black ones. Wait…

I move my hands from my hair to my lap as a shear dark layer of hair from my head cascades in front of my view. I know it's been two weeks since I last saw Edward, so I _may be mistaken_, but I vividly remember his eyes being a gorgeous gold color. And just like that, my moment of weakness was forgotten because a beautiful distraction absorbed my attention.

---

English came and I got all of the work from Ms. Pyrce. It made me a little bit happy that she said to me, "Well if you eva need to talk to anyone, you can talk to me about anything," so I said thank you and sat down. Alice taps me on the shoulder. She's holding up a notebook for me to take.

"Want the notes?" she asks with a smile. I try to smile as well,

"Thanks," Alice's beautiful slender beaming face turns into a frown and it made me feel guilty. I turn in my seat and start copying her notes. After a few minutes she slips a folded piece of paper onto my desk as she gets up and throws out a crumpled piece of paper. I open the folded piece and read the words that said in such beautiful penmanship:

_Why are you upset?_

After I write my response I hand it back to her and a few seconds later she hands it back to me.

**I'm not**

_Yes you are, we can tell_

"We can tell"? Does she mean the rest of her family? Ms. Pyrce calls the class to her attention.

"OK, since Halloween is on Friday, we will be doing our presentations starting today. Ricky, why don't you start us off," and she sits back at her desk and I reply to Alice's note. I can't believe Halloween is so soon. I get it back as a red headed boy starts his presentation on werewolves.

**Who do you mean by 'we'?**

_All of us. _

By the end of wolf-boy's presentation, Alice's and my note went like this:

**Oh, well it's nothing you need to concern yourself with anyway, everything will be fine.**

_Please tell me._

**There's nothing to tell.**

_Please? We are friends. Wouldn't you tell your friend what is upsetting you?_

**Not always. So me and you are friends?**

_Of course we are silly! ___ (That made me smile)

**Am I friends with anyone else in your family?**

_Not really, I mean Jasper and Emmett are very fond of you, they really like you, and Rosalie doesn't know you, but it's complicated why they aren't exactly and officially friends with you._

That last one made me think.

**Is Edward the reason your family isn't allowed to be friends with me?**

_Like I said, it's complicated._

**How about you tell me why it's complicated, and I'll tell you why I am upset.**

Ms. Pyrce calls the next student to do their project on some foreign myth.

_OK then. You first._

**Well, I'm upset because one of my friends died back in New York. That's why I wasn't here for two weeks. I had to go back for the funeral and the police were involved and just a whole bunch of other stuff. **

_That's the short version._

**Yes.**

_Could you tell me the long version?_

I silently groan when she writes this. It's not that I didn't really want to tell her, which is odd since I never want to tell people my problems, it's just I didn't feel like writing it all down.

**Ugh, it's too long to have to write down and I really don't feel like writing it all, it's too much to have to explain.**

I hand the piece of paper back to her.

_OK, you can tell me about it later then! ___

---

My room is very colorful, full of bright pinks, purples, greens, blues, reds, and even black. There were posters of my favorite actors and actresses, my favorite books, singers, sports teams, and there was book shelves somewhat filled and some random sofa chairs and rugs and mirrors. It looked very good. I would need to thank Emily for the fantastic job she did, again.

I decided to take Jorgette and Fabio out for a walk today. I haven't seen them in the longest time; I sort of avoided them when I first returned. I changed out of the clothes I wore to school and changed into a pair of black skinny jeans; a navy blue tank top and I threw on my giant dark grey zip up sweatshirt and headed down the stairs. "I'm going to take the dogs for a walk" I call into the old fashion kitchen. "OK" Ron and Darleen call, both preoccupied with whatever. I jog to the cage and I see Jorgette waiting patiently for me by her cage entrance, Fabio was jumping up and down yelping. It felt so good to see them again.

The three of us began on our route through the lone road surrounded by trees into the small town; the Kelly's live just on the outskirts of the town so it's a good 20 minute walk to the actual town. I took some money with me so that perhaps I would be able to find a semi-good bookstore and I could buy some new reading material.

By the time we get into the small town of Haines it was starting to drizzle in a misty way and I find a very small, quaint shop and I tie the dogs to a bench. Jorgette lies down under the bench to get away from the falling mist, smart dog. Fabio, on the other hand, sits on the bench staring up at the grey sky with his mouth open, trapping the water. I wouldn't be surprised he the dumb dog found a way to drown on dry land. I walk into the shop, and a very ancient type of scent hit me. The book store is very warm and is filled with luscious browns and maroons. From what I assume the doorframe behind the counter is a back room for employees and I hear a faint sound of a guitar. I start looking around after I close the door behind me. I start on the left side of the store and just start looking at the names of the books. I don't know what I was looking for really, I just picked a book with an interesting name, read the back, and if that didn't bore me, I'd hold onto it. So by the time I was done with the left side of the store and was making my way down the right side, I had about 15 to 20 books, some of which are even in French! How awesome is that!? It's probably because Alaska is near Canada which speaks, French and English, maybe? I'm fluent in French; I grew up with it since my mother was 100% French. Her name was Renee Lyonette Rye before she married my father, Michael James Hunter. Lyonette means little lion and it has been in my mom's side of the family for generations. My grandmother on my mom's side, her name was Lyonette Maelee Rye. My mom named me after her, at least my middle name, and my dad named me Samantha after his younger sister who died at birth. So my name, in full, is Samantha Lyonette-Maelee Hunter.

"Can I help you?" a deep voice says from right behind me, making me gasp and spin around and somehow crashing into something and making…_everything_ fall. I stand and look at the mess at my feet for a few seconds before looking up to see a very tan, tall, and muscular boy grinning like a mad man. "Haha, sorry about that," he grins and bends down and starts to pick up the fallen books. I bend down too and start helping,

"Sorry," I mumble. The boy laughs again,

"It's fine, I didn't mean to scare you, the name's Christian Black, I work here with my dad, Jones Black," I just smile politely without looking at him and continue to pick up the books; I can hear Jorgette and Fabio growling outside of the shop window; they feel uneasy with this guy. If Fabio is growling at someone, then they aren't exactly good, no lie, Fabio loves everyone. "I just moved here from Washington, I was visiting my cousin there. What's your name?" I can feel his eyes watching me, it was weird, I felt uneasy, due to how my dogs were acting, I felt flushed because being this close to him, I felt an enormous amount of heat coming from this boy who looks like a man, and I felt uncomfortable, but I couldn't tell if it was in a bad way…or a good one…

"Uhnm…Samantha Hunter," I mumble again. We stand up and there's an awkward silence, I can tell he hasn't stopped grinning.

"So you go to the high school here?" he asks. I nod my head, looking out the store front window. The room was suddenly getting too hot for my comfort. "That's cool, maybe I'll see ya, or even better have some classes with ya," great, he's going to the same high school as me.

"Sure, um, I should probably pay for these," and get out of this super uncomfortably hot room. Christian laughs loudly,

"Yeah, that would be a good idea. What's a pretty girl like you gunna do with all of these books? And you even have ones in French?" He asks surprised. I glare at his back as he walks in front of me and goes behind the old register.

"Excuse me, but what is that suppose to mean?"

"Uhhh..." he blinks idiotically and I roll my eyes.

"I speak French and I like to read do you have a problem with that?" this guy was pissing me off. He laughs nervously,

"Aw why don't you just look past my stupid comment and accept my compliment?" he suggests hopefully. The look on my face (whatever it was, I'm not sure), but it made him get a confident look in his dark brown eyes. "You're a very pretty girl," he leans on the counter. I fight the urge to cringe.

"Can I have my books now?" He laughs again.

"Yeah, sure thing, uh…these books are kind of heavy, do you want me to carry them to your car for you?" I roll my eyes and snatch the bag from him; he was really pissing me off. Just because I'm a girl doesn't mean I'm weak.

"No thank you," I reply snidely, "and I walked here by the way, which is like a 20 minute hike. I didn't need your help getting here, so I don't need your help getting back thank you very much," and I storm out of the store in a huff. Dumb bookstore kid! The rain was starting to come down harder than before as I untie my dogs. I can feel Christian watching me walk away from the shop making me even more uncomfortable.

---

This totally sucked. This sucked so much than totally sucked. This sucked worse than sucking. This was the epitome of sucking. The light misty rain turned into heavy pounding car sized bullets of rain. I had no jacket and I was completely soaked. I am assuming that the books are ruined as well, but I'm not too sure. The bag that I was given was one of those 'save the environment' plastic bags and I'm cradling the bag inside of my zip up sweatshirt futilely trying to shield them from the roaring rain. So there is still an off chance that they might still be intact…maybe…probably not, but maybe. While cradling the bag of books I also hold onto the leashes of Fabio and Jorgette which is rather difficult. The three of us walk up the slanted pavement when a black car flashes by us, splashing up with puddle water. As soon as the car goes flying by us, Fabio takes off in a full out sprint making the leash slip right through my grip.

"Nooo!! Fabioooo!!" I yell as he runs after the black car up the mountain. "UGH! Honestly! Fabio come on!" I yell up at the dark sky. I sigh and I undo Jorgette's leash and fold it up and place it in my pocket. I really didn't want to have to do this…again. Jorgette begins to trudge up the mountain and I follower her while my mind travels back to the boy back in the book shop. He said that he was visiting his cousin in Washington before he came here and didn't Antoinette tell Emily and me that the Cullen's moved here from a town in Washington, Forks I do believe? I wonder if there is a connection. I mean, it's kind of strange that the Cullen's, an amazingly perfect yet odd family, and Christian Black, a new boy who was visiting his cousin in the same state that the Cullen's moved from and who is also odd with his anything but boyish looks and enormous body temperature; there has so got to be a connection. Or maybe I'm just over thinking things, it could be a coincidence for all I know, coincidences happen.

Jorgette starts heading into the forest and I follow sullenly behind her. Usually I like it when it rains but right now I was just not in the mood. My feet were freezing cold and my converses were soaked and all muddy along with my pant legs. I look up to see my Australian Sheppard making her way up a little hill. I groan, "Jorgette, why couldn't we stick to the road?" She makes it up the small muddy cliff a few feet taller than I am and she starts back at me and barks a 'yes'. I sigh and walk up to the miniscule cliff and start climbing up it using one hand while my other hand keeps holding my bag of books inside of my sweatshirt. Mud was getting all over me as I make it nearly to the top when a clash thunder startles me making me slip and slide down the mud and tumble at the end. Jorgette barks, asking if I'm alright so I wave an arm up, "I'm fine, I'm fine."

As I stand up and lean on my right leg a stinging pain shoots all through out my ankle. Crap, I must have twisted my ankle. OK, well this sucks even more than before. With gritted teeth I struggle my way up the cliff and lie down when I finally get to the top; Jorgette licks my cheek. "When we find Fabio, I'll murder him," I moan while rolling onto my stomach which was where I was still holding the books. This was going to hell finding that dumb dog.

----

I stand in at the base of the driveway staring at the most beautiful house I have ever seen. It was the type of plantation mansion that you would see in the south and it was absolutely gorgeous, even in the pouring rain which gave the house a sort of haunted sense and it was still very appealing. The house had a wrap around porch with many windows, double front doors with a porch light illuminating the dark stormy night with a slight sense of hope. The house has two floors visible from the outside and a large garage. Jorgette nudges my thigh with her head and I ask her, still staring at the house, "Is Fabio here?" She takes a step forward and I follow. As we walk up the driveway I noticed that the black car that had passed us is now parked directly in front of the steps to the porch in the circular drive way. When we make it to the steps of the beautiful wooden porch I can see that the house is a lovely pale yellow and is completely spotless which makes me look down at my shoes and pants. I really didn't want to dirty up this person's extraordinarily clean home; it just seemed rude especially since this is a stranger's home. I look around for something to wipe my shoes on but I eventually give up that task and just walk up the porch and ring the doorbell with Jorgette loyally by my side. I knock on the door.

The door swings open and I see Alice in all of her short petite glory beaming at me with wild brown eyes. "Samantha!" she sighs excitedly in her trilling voice. I tilt my head in surprise; I was not expecting Alice Cullen to be here.

"Uh…hi…Alice…" I feel Jorgette brush against my leg and she begins to growl at Alice, baring her vicious teeth. I hold onto her collar and keep her at my side since she kept creeping forward to Alice. I didn't understand why she was acting like this. Around Christian, sure I could understand, but Alice? Alice Cullen? "Jorgette, shush, please," and as the obedient dog she is, she straightens up and glares at the small Cullen girl. I look back to Alice who is staring wearily at my pet but she quickly looks back to me and smiles. "Uhm, yeah, by any chance have you found a black Labrador dog, or maybe you saw him, he goes by the name of Fabio?"

"Yes, we have him," she says. It takes me a minute to answer her, I don't know why, but this also took me by surprise.

"Oh…"

"Why don't you come in, Rosalie has him in the kitchen feeding him. I hope he doesn't have any specific dietary rules…" she looks at me sheepishly,

"No…he doesn't…"

"OK good," she sighs in a happy relief. It seemed strange that Rosalie would be taking care of Fabio, she doesn't seem all that animal friendly, to me at least. She beckons for me to follow her.

"Um…I'd rather not, why don't you just bring Fabio to me and I'll be out of your way," I say looking down at Jorgette. From just looking inside of the house from the doorway, it was spotless. It pretty much sparkled, that's how clean it was and I really didn't want to get mud all over the beautiful wooden floors. I look up when I sense Alice's happiness disappear. She looked so hurt, I quickly add why I didn't want to enter her perfect home, "I'm all muddy and I don't want to get your floors dirty," I hear someone laugh from within the house and Alice joins in.

"Oh don't be silly, come in," I purse my lips together and walk in, hearing the mud from my converses stick to the floor. I feel tremendously guilty. I hear the same laugh from before,

"You look so guilty," Jasper says from all the way from the other side of the living room.

"I feel guilty that I'm getting your impossibly clean house dirty," I say, walking slowly even though I know that the pace that I walk at won't help my situation of not getting the floor dirty. Can someone look guilty? Jorgette stands by my side stiffly surveying her surroundings. The door from the kitchen swings open and Fabio dashes out like the crazed mutt he is and jumps on top of me pushing me to the floor. I push him off and stand up observing the damage. "I'm really, really, really, really, really, really sorry about the floor, if you want I could clean it up for you, just give me some paper towels or something and I'll clean it up…"

"Do not worry about dear, I'll clean it up," comes a female's voice that I haven't heard before. I turn around and see a woman a little bit taller than Alice coming down the staircase next to a man. "My name is Esme and this is my husband Carlisle, it's a pleasure to finally meet you Samantha, Alice has told us much about you," she smiles delicately and Carlisle, the man beside her smiles as well. They way they smiled, it made them seem older than what they were, like they were both extremely young looking, but their eyes and smiles showed much wisdom. Something wasn't…I'm not going to say that something wasn't right here, since this family was so perfect, but something…didn't make sense to me. Antoinette said that the Cullen children were all adopted and yet they all have the same physical features; all ghostly pale, all have perfect skin and no blemishes, all have the same golden one day to black the next colored eyes. And now the people who adopted them, Carlisle Cullen and Esme Cullen, held those same features as their children. OK, I'm not an expert on adoptions, but I know that the parent and newly adopted child never look _this _much alike.

"Oh, um, ok, sorry…again…" I say, still embarrassed how I stood out all dirty in their perfectly spotless home. I look behind me when I hear Emmett's unmistakable boom of laughter.

"What the hell happened to you, trip over your own two feet?" He jokes. I make a face at him,

"Ha, ha. No I didn't, I slipped on some rocks or something since it's pouring out in case you haven't noticed." I retort back to him but he just keeps smiling. Rosalie walks out of the kitchen and stands beside Emmett. She was so much more gorgeous up close.

"So this is the girl my little sister has been boasting about," she says with a little clip in her tone of voice as she looks me over. Why would Alice boast over me? What's there to boast over? And what does she know what to boast about? She barely knows me.

"I'm surprised Alice hasn't boasted about you to me," I reply, marveling still at her beauty. Her snide expression turns into one of satisfaction. I hear some silent laughter but I am unsure of who it was from. "I'm I guess I should get…"

"Samantha, are you alright?" Carlisle asks coming closer to me.

"Um yeah, I'm fine, why do you ask?" Jorgette's chest rumbles quietly as the doctor comes closer to me; I shush her, while Fabio jumps up onto the doctor and licks his face. "Fabio! Don't be so rude!" I say as I yank him off the man. Carlisle laughs,

"It's quite alright, he's just a very friendly puppy," he says looking at Fabio; that made me stop. There was a little catch in the doctor's voice, and the way he was looking at my dog made me think there was some other meaning to his statement. He looks back to me, "I'm just concerned with the way you are favoring your right foot," everyone looks down at my shoes, "you said you fell before, did you perhaps hurt your foot?" he inquires.

"Um, yeah, a little, I think I twisted my ankle, but it's no big deal. I'll just ice it when I get home," I brush it off. I look over to where Jorgette head snaps to and where Fabio starts to run to but I grab his collar, jerking him to a stop as he whines. I grit my teeth as I slam onto my right foot. I groan slightly. I look up to see Edward standing next to Jasper. His eyes were now a deep brown instead of black like earlier in the day. He stares at me with such intensity that I could barely decipher his expression. He looked worried, unsure, and angered. "Hello Edward," I smile at him, also feeling unsure.

"Hello…Samantha," The first words he's spoken to me! I think so at least, yeah I'm pretty sure anyway. I see Jasper smile out of the corner of my eyes and Edward gets a quizzical look on his face as I feel my smile broaden. I don't know why hearing Edward's voice for the first time directed at me, made me so happy. Those two words coming from him sounded so musical. Jorgette nudges me with her nose.

"Oh, right, I'm I should probably get home, it's getting late," I say as I start backing up towards the door.

"Samantha, when you get home be sure to take a hot shower, take some vitamins and drink some orange juice to prevent any form of illness." advises. I nod my head,

"Sure thing,"

"Wait! Samantha! I'll drive you home!" Alice grabs my hand and rushes to their garage. I limp as fast as I could after her as she tugs me along gracefully. Her touch on my hand was so cold. Her skin was freezing and it was so hard and smooth.

While she drives me home she says, "Samantha it's later," in a happy and smug voice. I knew what she was talking about. It's as if she knew this was going to happen. I sigh and try to sit perfectly still so I don't ruin her car seats with my dirtiness.

"What is it you would like to know?" I ask her.

"Explain your story in depth…please,"

"Well, one of my friends back on Long Island committed suicide. I was her best friend, and the police were involved since they needed to know if it was actually suicide or a homicide. So I flew back to New York and was questioned by the police. I stayed for the funeral and after that I came home."

"That's the same thing you told me before," she accuses.

"Well then ask me questions and I'll tell you, how about that?"

"What is her name?"

"Ashely Cravat,"

"How did she kill herself?"

"She threw herself in front of the 7:15 Penn Station train to Long Island," I say looking out the window,"

"Do you blame yourself for her death?" I look at the petite girl driving me. That's not exactly a normal question to ask. She stares blankly at the road, like she's not even watching it.

"Yes,"

"Why?" I look down at my hands then out the passenger side window.

"Because she told me that she wouldn't be able to live without me, but I didn't think she was serious. And this was before I had to move, like a few months. So if I didn't move then she would still be alive,"

"…why did you move?"

"Emily and Scott's parents died in a car accident, Scott is Emily's older brother."

"Ah, so you were in the accident as well, that's why you had all of the bruises when you first came to school?" Alice more so states rather than asks.

"Ya,"

"Why did you move if it was Emily's parents who died?" I sit there silently. Should I tell her? Should I tell her my whole life story?

"Because they adopted me when I was s-seven," seriously? Can I please get over that number? "Emily's parents and mine were all childhood friends and they grew up together. My parents Renee and Michael were killed when some thieves broke into our house one night when I was…little. So Kevin and Karen, Emily's parents and also my Godparents, took me in and made it official by law by actually adopting me. So I lived with them until the accident happened. Kevin and Karen were driving me to soccer practice when a truck smashed into us, killing them both."

"Do you blame yourself for their deaths as well?" I sigh again,

"Yes,"

"Why?"

"Because if I didn't join the soccer team, then they wouldn't have had to driven me to practice and they would still be alive."

"I see," she says finally, and not asking anything more. I didn't understand myself anymore to be honest. Alice is really a complete stranger to me and yet here I am telling her everything about something I would never tell anyone, not even Emily. We are both silent for a majority of the ride.

"Can I ask you a question?" I ask when I begin to recognize my surroundings.

"Sure,"

"If you and your siblings are all adopted, why do you and everyone in your family have the same perfect pale skin and same sometimes golden, sometimes black eyes?" I ask, still staring idly out the window. I may have appeared in a blasé state of mind and body, on the outside, but inside I was anxious to hear why she had to say. She waits a long time before answering, too long.

"I don't know, I've never really noticed it before."

"Can I ask you another question?" Alice hesitates,

"Sure,"

"…what was the English homework?" I hear her sigh in relief. I wonder, are the Cullens hiding something?


	8. Chapter 8

sorry sorry sorry! i know it's been a while but so much crap to deal with and it totally sucks. oh here you go, enjoy and reveiw like always kthanxbaiiiiiiikb/jlk.m,.fcgvjlhk/ blj.,

standard disclaimer

* * *

I groan as I roll over in my bed to hear the irritable ringtone of my cell phone. I knock over some knick knacks on my dresser feeling around for my phone when I finally grab it. _"HAPPY HALLOWEEN SAMANTHA!"_ several people scream into the phone.

"Who?" I groan.

_"THE AMAZING SHARRON! THE AWESOME KIM! THE SUPER BRIAN! THE SEXY ROB! THE STUPENDOUS MARIA!"_ they all shout their individual names.

"I hate you all,"

_"Nooo don't lie, Samantha! You totally love us!"_

"No, I hate you, it's freakin 4:49 here. I hate you all and I'll call you later if I'm no longer pissed at you that is," I hang up my phone and let it drop to the floor with a loud clunk. Great, now I'm awake.

I have been in a really bad mood this whole week. After the whole finding Fabio at the Cullen household, Emily has been up my butt about everything. She's done nothing but bombard me with questions about Edward. In school she's made me try to talk to him during lunch and my other periods with him. She literally sends me over to his lunch table and ask him idiotic and pointless questions. She makes me ask all of his siblings anything about him during the classes we have together. At first the Cullen's found me annoying, at least Edward and Rosalie found me annoying. But after two days or so, they started to find it amusing since they could clearly see that I did not want to pester them with Emily's childish antics.

Also, I guess I've been in a bad mood since Halloween is my favorite holiday. I absolutely love it. I love scary things, I love monsters and dragons, witches and wizards, vampires and werewolves, ghosts and ghouls; I love it all! I love going trick or treating even though I am 16, hey, free candy is free candy. I love scaring people and then people trying to scare me. I love getting dressed up, going to haunted houses and watching scary movies. Every year my friends and I would do the same thing. Sharron, Ashley, Rob, Kim, Brian and I would all do this "Safe Halloween" thing at the high school back in Smithtown. Safe Halloween is when all of the after school clubs would decorate a hallway in the school with a sort of theme, for example the Art Club last year had the theme of the "Nightmare before Christmas". We were all in Art Club so we all painted on some really big paper and decorated the halls and it looked awesome. Then on Halloween we would get dressed up and come back to the school and prepare some activities for the little kids to come trick or treating to. We had some coloring stations and face painting and arts and crafts, it was great. This was just Art Club, other clubs did different things like the drama club put on a show for the kids and other clubs did other things. Overall it was pretty awesome.

Safe Halloween lasted from like 3pm to about 5:30-6pm. Afterwards we would go over to Sharron's house and then go around trick or treating, having shaving cream and silly string fights and just causing some general, harmless mischief. By this time Emily and two of her friends, Monique and Amy would come to Sharron's house and we would all have a sleep over. Usually Emily and I are considered "attached at the hip" since we are always seen together, but usually on holidays we kind of part our own ways for a bit. She's more of a partier than I am. She's into the alcohol and that stuff where I am not. So since today is Halloween, I'm not sure what I'm going to do. Emily got invited to a party and of course I was invited too, but I don't know if I wanna go. And it's supposed to be such a 'huge' party, how can you have a huge party in a town consisting of like 5 people, honestly? Naturally it's a costume party and Emily and I have costumes incase I do decide to go. Emily is going to be a bunny, NOT a playboy bunny as she says there is a distinct difference; the costumes looked the exact same in the store except on one the tag said 'playboy' and the other did not. I am going to be a cat. I refused to even try on what they had at the costume store. So, I'm just going to dress up in a pair of borrowed black leggings from Emily, a newly bought black 80's style shirt that hangs off one shoulder, a black belt, a pair of black boots that are loose and look like pirate boots, a pair of thin black fingerless gloves that go to my wrists, some fake ears and a tail from the party store and lastly some black ribbon to make a little bow collar thing.

I groan again and flip over onto my back and stare up at the old dark ceiling. I didn't want to go to the party because I knew there would be alcohol and I'm really not into loud gatherings of lots of people. Another reason I didn't want to go is because Christian Black was going to be there. Freakin Christian Black sits at my lunch table now, and he's in my chemistry class and he is also in Emily's English and History class. He is so obnoxious and just…he acts like he owns everyone and I just can't stand him!

Zen, Samantha, just be Zen…

----

Darleen drops us off again like usual and Emily and I meet up with our lunch table crew by the stone picnic benches in front of the school. Everyone is wearing some form of orange and black all in the Halloween spirit, except for me. I know I shouldn't be, but I'm just being a big sour puss about not being home for Halloween. I want to do Safe Halloween and then go trick or treating with the gang and then sleep over Sharron's house. I'm not even wearing any orange or black. "Hey come on Sammy, where's your holiday spirit?" Christian kids with me and elbowing me in my arm a few times. I glare up at him as I lean my butt against the table with my arms folded across my chest. Then I glare out to the parking lot. He sits next to me on the table.

"OK first of all, my name is not _Sammy_," I say with disgust, "it is _Samantha_. Second, don't touch me, and third, I love Halloween, so don't tell me that I don't have any holiday spirit." I snap at him.

"But your not even wearing orange or black," he says smirking while observing my outfit. I wore a very nice blue, white and green tie dye v neck short sleeve top that was very cute. I am also wearing a pair of very tight and stretchy black skinny jeans and a thin and soft grey zip up hoodie and my black converses. It was a relatively warm day in Alaska.

"Are you color blind? My pants are black," I indicate to him.

"And very tight," he says in a low voice eying my pants. I just roll my eyes and cross my ankles. Christian is so annoying and like in the bookstore, I felt oddly uncomfortable around him since his body temperature was so much warmer than a normal person's…kind of the way Alice's hand was freezing cold the night she grabbed my hand.

"Samantha! Samantha! Look! Edward is finally here! Go talk to him please," Emily says as she rushes in front of me with the same amount of excitement as Fabio.

"Talk to him about what, Emily? How you are obsessing over him?" I retort.

"Samantha," Emily stands up, looking at me strangely and hurt.

"OK, I don't understand why you even like that guy, my cousin said that their whole family is bad news," Christian says glaring towards where the Cullen's have gathered. Christian told us how he visited his cousin Jacob in Forks Washington, which is where the Cullen's moved from.

"Are you blind?" Zoe interjects, "he is gorgeous, smart, gorgeous, beautiful, gorgeous, amazing, hot, and just perfect!" she gushes in a sigh.

"Exactly, so Samantha, will you please go other there and ask him if he wants to come to the Halloween party tonight?" Emily asks.

"No," I say sternly.

"Wait, can you guys explain to me again why it's Samantha who has to go over and talk to your precious Edward." Christian asks. Antoinette sighs and rolls her eyes.

"Ready, for the last time I am going to explain it to you Chris. Samantha has this rare and unheard of connection with the Cullen family. She has been gym partners with Jasper and Emmett. She talks to Alice in their English class, and Edward is in her Chemistry and English class. Also, on Monday night she went to their house because her brilliant dog followed a car to their house and she was welcomed in. Therefore, she is the logical one to go and talk to Edward." She says with a smile.

"OK but I'm in her chem class too and that scumbag does nothing but ignore her and look at her as though he wants to suck the life out of her then just toss away the corpse," Christian spits violently.

"Ew Christian, just ew," Emily says repulsed.

"It's true!" I stare at the boy next to me. I'm not sure why, but there seemed to be a double meaning to what he just said. On Monday when I was in the Cullen's home, I thought something was off, but now, I'm beginning to think that something was wrong. Things just didn't make sense to me. I look to the Cullen's they seemed to be watching us, but not at the same time. Things were getting suspicious.

"Please Samantha," Emily pleads,

"No! Talk to him yourself!" I yell, I was getting so frustrated with her. Emily laughs,

"Oh I know why you've been so upset, you don't have your ipod anymore," she giggles when everyone looks at her questioningly. "Samantha always had a pair of headphones in her ears everyday. I mean, like, we would never see her without it." I sigh, I do miss my music. My ipod got crushed in the accident. "Don't worry, I'll buy you a new one," Emily says as the warning bell rings.

"Emily, I have money of my own that I can use, I don't need you paying for it," I say.

"No, no, I'll be paying for it since you've been a real help to me with talking to Edward." I sigh and roll my eyes.

"Whatever,"

----

History was boring since we had a test. I aced it though, it was so easy. Math was a bore as well and Painting was kind of boring too. So I went to Emily's…and…Christian's…English classroom. Christian comes out first and we have to wait for Emily since she had to talk to Mrs. Pyrce about a test she failed. Christian is a very tall and muscular boy, standing next to him my eyes are level with his elbow. He's huge and muscular. "So uh, Sam, do uh, do you like Edward like Emily does?" he asks.

"No, I don't Christian, but it doesn't mean I hate him like you do for some reason." I say with a tint of an attitude.

"OK, cool. So are ya going to the party tonight?"

"Tsk, I don't know."

"Aw why not? I heard it's going to be a blast," I roll my eyes,

"I'm not much of a big crowd party person,"

"Ah, I see, I'll be sure to remember that," he smirks at me with his big dark brown eyes. I tilt my head,

"What do you mean by that?"

"Oh, nothing you need to worry your pretty little head about," his hand reaches up and pats my dark brown hair. I jerk my head away from him, I really didn't like it when he touched me, he made me feel hot and I hate feeling feverish. His hand slides down cheek and I intended on slapping his hand away but I ended up having to push it away with much more force than I thought.

"Jesus Christian, I told you not to touch me," I tell him. Christian laughs, his laugh was so pure and innocent it was really…weird. He steps closer to me and gets a playful seductive look on his face.

"You know Samantha," he says in a dramatic over the top seducing Spanish-English soap opera male voice, "usually when a girl says no, she means yes," This guy is outrageous! That is just completely revolting. I back away from him a fast as I could.

"Seriously Christian, can you stop?" Christian laughs even louder; I failed to see the humor.

"You know what's funny?"

"No, no I don't, I fail to see the humor in this,"

"You get really cute when you're mad,"

"Excuse me?" he laughs again staring at me,

"You heard right. You're face gets all flushed and pink and you look very pretty with some color in your face, rather than just being pale, you should wear some make-up, like blush or something like that,"

"Oh, thanks for the compliment," I say sarcastically. I really dislike Christian Black. He made me so uncomfortably warm. Christian stops laughing abruptly and stands up straight, his shoulders squared slightly to his right. I push myself off of the wall I was leaning on and look to see what made him so serious. I see the Cullen's approaching our direction, Alice was in the lead and was followed by Jasper, Edward then Emmett and Rosalie. My eyes snap to Christian when I swear to god I think I heard him growl like Jorgette did on Monday.

"Bloodsuckers…" I hear him mumble under his breath as he is now giving the death glare to the perfect adopted siblings. Did he just say bloodsuckers? What on earth does that mean? Alice heads straight for me with a huge smile on her face.

"Hi Samantha," she greets me in her perfect melody voice. Jasper stops behind her closer to where Christian is standing; he looks tense, while Edward stops on the other side of her, closer to me. He seemed tense as well, as his dull golden eyes glare almost politely at Christian. I notice that Jasper and Alice both have the same color eyes as Edward.

"Hi Alice," I smile back to her. Emmett and Rosalie walk behind them to the cafeteria.

"I'm sorry I didn't return this to you earlier in the week but we just found it under our kitchen table," she holds up Fabio's ID tag thing that goes on his collar.

"Oh hey! I was wondering what had happened to that," I say in genuine surprise. She places it in my hand. Her cold touch sends chills through out my body but it makes me smile in pleasure. Christian's overheated body temperature was making me feel ill and her coolness made the uncomfortable feeling go away. "Thank you so much Alice,"

"Anytime Samantha, I'll see you in English," she smiles back to me before taking Jasper's hand and skipping away.

"Bye. See ya in gym Jasper," I say,

"Bye Samantha," he says. His voice was just as musical as his partner's.

"Until Chemistry, Samantha," Edward says in a low voice which caught me off guard. The look in his eyes, the way he smirked ever so slightly at me, made me think he knew something he shouldn't. That's so weird because ever since Monday, I have been having really weird dreams about the Cullen family. They were all relatively normal, nothing too fascinating, and just kind of random. Like one of them took place last year and I was spending Halloween with my friends and Alice was there as well. She looked so out of place but at the same time she looked like she fit in so well. Another time Emmett, Jasper and I were in this sort of obstacle course competing against one another and Rosalie was a cheerleader. Like I said, random. But then last night I had a dream about Edward.

The dream was like a silent movie and in black and white. Christian was there and he was the evil villain. And I was a princess or…or something I don't even know, but anyway, Christian stole me from my castle then tied me down to a railroad and then a train was coming. Edward came in and defeated the evil Christian and saved me seconds before the train would have smothered me. I thanked Edward with a kiss and then we rode off into the sunset on his horse. It was really weird since it went from medieval to western….whatever…dreams aren't usually very logical.

Emily comes rushing out of the classroom. "Samantha you HAVE to tutor me in English!"

"Uh…ok…" The three of us start walking to lunch. "Emily, Alice just gave me Fabio's tags. They must have fallen off while at her house." Christian snorts but we ignore him.

"Did you see Edward?" Emily asks.

"Yes," I say, "and I'll ask him during chem. if he is going to the party or not," I add quickly before she could say anything else. We enter the cafeteria and we get on line to get our food right away since we arrived late. Christian has a HUGE appetite, let me tell you. He buys three trays worth of food, it's pure insanity.

-----

Gym was fun as usual. We just played tennis. It is so much fun watching Emmett and Jasper play against each other; they look like professionals and so graceful. I was, I'll admit, a tad bit jealous.

-----

I was kind of looking forward to chemistry today and it was because Edward said, 'until Chemistry, Samantha,". I have been looking forward to it all day. I know, I know, it's so very shallow to get so excited over something a guy said, but I couldn't help it. Edward just made me happy; even if he did completely and rudely ignore me for the first however many weeks I've been here. I walk into the room to see that Mr. Rickman isn't here, but that matters little to me when I see Edward sitting at the table. He looks up and smiles slightly at me. I make my way to my chair and sit down. Edward turns his body slightly to me, "Hello, Samantha," he says. My eyebrows come together slightly, it sounded like he was struggling faintly.

"Hello, Edward," I say still looking at him strangely.

"What?" he asks.

"Well," I begin leaning back in my chair, this might be the only opportunity I may get, "the first week or so that I came here you completely ignore me which normally I could deal with but it was like you hated me. I mean all you did was glare at me and you would sit as far away from me as possible. And you would also glare at Alice whenever I would talk to her then you would just glare at me all over again and it got very tiresome ya know! And now you're talking and smiling at me and I'm just so very confused," Not to mention I was also confused over so many other factors that I wouldn't dare mention to him, not just yet at least. Edward laughs beautifully at my little rant.

"I would like to apologize for that. I wasn't exactly myself and I was having some personal problems. Will you forgive me?" I look him over before answering,

"Maybe, I'll think about, so there's a Halloween party happening tonight…"

"Yes, at Jennifer Wilkinson's house, I heard," he says monotone.

"Yeah, Emily wants to know if you're going," Edward is silent for a few minutes, watching me, but I just sit there and patiently wait for his answer.

"This whole week you have only been asking me what Emily wants to know, it's obvious by now what she wants. What I am curious about, is what you want to know," he says also leaning back in his chair casually.

"…well I kinda want to know if Alice is going…" I say shrugging. It really didn't matter to me if Edward was going to be there, well it did, but not as much as knowing if Alice was going or not.

"No, she's not going," his voice was clipped and slightly disappointed.

"OK then," I shrug again and open up my notebook; Mr. Rickman should be here soon.

"We have a sub today," Edward mumbles leaning forward on the table, he was oddly close to me today.

"What?"

"Anyway, don't you want to know why we aren't going?"

"Mm…do you want me to know why you aren't going?" I ask in return. Edward stares at me contemplating whatever is going through his mind.

"We are going camping, we always go camping on the weekends," I nod my head,

"That's cool,"

"I hear you love Halloween," he says changing the topic.

"I do, it's my favorite holiday," I say. Edward has a very interesting aroma to him. I couldn't say exactly what it smelt like, but it reminded me of winter fresh gum. How it was cool smelling, but of course he smells so much better than the gum.

"Not many people say Halloween is their favorite holiday; usually people say Christmas or Thanksgiving. Why is Halloween your favorite?" he chuckles, and I can't help but notice how amazing his laugh is. It was musical, simply beautiful just as his sisters and brothers. This small chuckle was just so light and effortless and stunning.

"It's cuz of the tradition my friends and I had back home. And I just love scary things. I love watching old scary movies and dressing up and I don't know, I just love monsters and witches and wizards and dragons, ghosts and ghouls, werewolves and vampires, I love it all," I start blushing after I realize I've gushed like a girly girl. Edward laughs that exhilarating chuckle quietly.

"I see. Are you going to the party?"

"Meh, I don't know. I'm not really a partier."

"Anti-social?"

"You could say, I guess. I just don't like big crowds."

"Well, if you were to go, what would you go as?" he asks, I didn't realize he was leaning towards me until his eyes get an annoyed look and he leans back against the counter that was making a right angle with our table and Christian slams his hand on the table between us laughing and causing me to jump.

"Hey Sammy, what's cookin' good lookin'?" he laughs boisterously. I glare at him.

"For the last time Christian, my name is Samantha, not Sammy."

"Sure, sure. Isn't this great that we have a sub today?" he asks me directly.

"Yes it is," I turn to the pale boy beside me. "Christian this is Edward Cullen, Edward this is Christian Black." I introduce them. Christian glares at Edward while Edward smiles politely at Christian even though it never reached his dull annoyed gold eyes.

"It's a pleasure to meet you Christian," he says.

"Yuh-huh, sure. So anyway Sammy, what are you going to be at the party?" Christian looks to me sitting on the desk with his back to Edward, simultaneously creating a barrier between Edward and me.

"Jeez Christian, could you be any ruder?" I sarcastically ask and feebly trying to push him out of my way. After a few grunts from me I finally give up. "Can you get off the desk please?" He groans but does so. Out of the corner of my eye I see Edward with a look of satisfaction on his face. "What was your question again?" I ask as I sit down.

"What your costume is," he reminds me in a calm manner but I could hear a slight edge to his voice that I knew Christian obviously wouldn't.

"Oh right, I'm going to be a cat, Emily is going to be a bunny." I swear strange things were going on. Christian does that dumb and derogatory wolf whistle, while Edward rolls his eyes in _disgust. _I didn't get it at all. Was Edward rolling his eyes at me or Christian? "Um, so yeah, Christian, didn't you tell us that your cousin knows the Cullen's or something like that?"

"Uhm…" Christian starts, Edward looks to me in interest, but it seemed fake though.

"Who's his cousin?" he asks.

"Jacob Black," Edward nods in remembrance.

"Yes, I remember, we never spoke or saw each other much. Samantha what are you going to do for the English project?" he asks.

"Uhh…you know, I'm not sure yet. I'm thinking of doing succubus's and incubuses," Edward looks to me with genuine interest this time.

"That's a curious topic to choose," Edward says intriguingly.

"You should do something way cooler, like werewolves," Christian scoffs. Edward's dull golden eyes flash to the large teen but then they focus on me but with a softer appeal to them.

"Why would you pick that?"

"Oh I don't know. I was just browsing through Wikipedia one day a while ago and I came across it. I never read too much into it but I always wanted to learn more of it since it interested me. And now is the perfect time to do so." We all look up when someone calls Christian's name.

"I'll be right back," he says. I turn my head to Edward who was still staring after Christian with an indescribable look; it wasn't exactly in a positive way either.

"Can I ask you something?" I turn to face him.

"No," that caught me by surprise. Not that he said no, it did, but the way he just flat out and abruptly.

"…no?"

"Yes."

"Why can't I ask you a question?"

"Because I don't want to answer one of your questions." I stare at him outrageously but I look forward and lean back in my chair with my arms folded over my chest after a moment. I betcha Alice told him the question I asked her on Monday when she gave me a ride home. The Cullen's are totally hiding something. There are just too many strange things going on.

-----

I make my way to English and sit down in front of Alice. "Thanks again for returning the ID tag," I thank her for the second time.

"Sure thing,"

"OK class, we have one more presentation to present. Adam, why don't cha come up hea, and then we can get started." Adam, a relatively average good looking blonde walks over to the teacher's computer and uploads his presentation that gets projected from the projector onto the white screen.

"I did my project on vampires," he begins and shows us some slides on his presentation. He describes where the term vampire came from and the history and so on and on. Eventually he moves on to "Identifying a Vampire" as said on one of his powerpoint slides. The bullet points were:

"Fatter in appearance"

"Ruddy, purplish, or dark in color-because of drinking blood"

"Long hair, long fingernails, fangs"

"But uh, these features were only considered during like, 11th to 13th centuries. Depending on which country or region or whatever, there were different descriptions of vampires." Adam transitions to a new slide which featured more bullets and was titled "More Recent and Common Physical Features". Adam goes on to explain, "Uh, and as time went on, in folktales and old stories, there was more and more common appearances noticed by the victims or who ever saw the vampire and lived to tell the tale," the bullets were:

"Pale skinned"

"Cold skinned"

"Red eyes while hunting or in the process of drinking blood and black eyes when not"

"These are all what the stories had in common. Vampires have pale and cold skin since, well their bodies are corpses and they don't have a beating heart or circulating blood system or anything like that." I sit in my desk and listening attentively to Adam's project, it intrigued me greatly and I couldn't fathom why. Just the things he was saying…caught my attention. My classmate went on about the different myths and the ways to kill a vampire and who the vampires would prey on and how vampires were created. He explained how vampires' senses were greatly increased and they had amazing strength, they could fly, they were outrageously fast, seductive, transform into vampire bats and so on.

Adam finishes presenting his project and some people ask him some questions. One of his buddies asks a completely inappropriate question that causes the class to rupture out into laughs; even Mrs. Pyrce is laughing, though trying not to. Adam's laughing dies down as he logs off from the computer, "Yeah, they're a bunch of bloodsuckers those vampires," he says returning to his desk.

Everything went silent for me as my body stiffened. Bloodsuckers…

_Christian stops laughing abruptly and stands up straight, his shoulders squared slightly to his right. I push myself off of the wall I was leaning on and look to see what made him so serious. I see the Cullen's approaching our direction, Alice was in the lead and was followed by Jasper, Edward then Emmett and Rosalie. My eyes snap to Christian when I swear to god I think I heard him growl like Jorgette did on Monday._

"_Bloodsuckers…" I hear him mumble under his breath as he is now giving the death glare to the perfect adopted siblings. Did he just say bloodsuckers? What on earth does that mean? Alice heads straight for me with a huge smile on her face._

Pale…

Cold…

Black eyes…

Could the Cullen Family be vampires? I mean…they are all awfully paler than everyone else, paler than I am, and that's pretty pale. They are all perfect looking, they all have perfect grades, and I never see them eat. At lunch all any of them do is pick at their food. Rosalie, today, just held that apple to her mouth but never bit it. Emmett and Jasper and Alice all just pushed around the French fries and what not. Oh god, they totally are vampires! That's what they were hiding! It _WAS _Edward who tried to attack in the forest! He was going to suck my blood!

I think back and remember what I saw that night. I saw Edward's face coming towards me in a glorious bound and then suddenly I see a large white blur smash into Edward knocking him to my right. I slow down my memory concentrating on the white blur, but I couldn't distinctively see anything. Could that blur…could that blur have been one of his brothers or sisters?

That's why Jorgette took a disliking to them instantly. Adam said in his research that animals naturally fear them since they are predators. So Jorgette saw them as a threat to me…but then why would Fabio go up and lick Edward's father? And why am I asking myself that? Fabio is retarded, so of course he'll be friendly to a family of vampires, it's only natural for him to go against what is considered natural. Alice and Carlisle kept looking at my dogs in a concerning manner, does that mean they don't like dogs?

_My eyes snap to Christian when I swear to god I think I heard him growl like Jorgette did on Monday._

"_OK, I don't understand why you even like that guy, my cousin said that their whole family is bad news," Christian says glaring towards where the Cullen's have gathered. Christian told us how he visited his cousin Jacob in Forks Washington, which is where the Cullen's moved from._

"_OK but I'm in her chem class too and that scumbag does nothing but ignore her and look at her as though he wants to suck the life out of her then just toss away the corpse," Christian spits violently._

"_It's fine, I didn't mean to scare you, the name's Christian Black, I work here with my dad, Jones Black," I just smile politely without looking at him and continue to pick up the books; I can hear Jorgette and Fabio growling outside of the shop window; they feel uneasy with this guy. If Fabio is growling at someone, then they aren't exactly good, no lie, Fabio loves everyone._

_I felt an enormous amount of heat coming from this boy who looks like a man,_

"_You should do something way cooler, like werewolves," Christian scoffs._

Holy Crap! Is Christian Black a freakin werewolf? And his cousin…Jacob…a werewolf too? Holy crap I'm so confused. None of this is happening. This can't be true. I have just an overactive imagination. Because if Edward Cullen was a vampire, than that would mean that Christian Black was a werewolf…or some sort of mythical creature…but that's exactly what those things are…mythical creatures…not…real creatures…. So this can't be true I am just going delirious and Emily is right I do very much-ly so need my music to keep me sane!

But wait! Edward Cullen is NOT a vampire! I'm forgetting the most important fact of being a vampire. They cannot go out in the sunlight and what time is it? It's in the day time! So ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha!!

….

Crap…

I look out the window of the classroom and see nothing but clouds.

_Sunlight _and_ Daylight _are two totally different words with two totally different meanings. Vampires, according to Adam's presentation, are affected by direct _sunlight_ which is rays from the sun. While on the other hand, _daylight_ is just when it is light out like it is now, but there are no direct sun rays, so maybe vampires are only killed or turned to ash by direct sunlight. Haines, Alaska is a perfect home for a vampire then, since it is cloudy at least 70 percent of the whole year, and it's only clear a little more than 10 percent of the year, the rest is partly cloudy. And there are tons of forest and wildlife around…so that's what Edward was doing! He was hunting! He IS a vampire! But he was hunting in the woods…so does that mean that they only drink…animal blood? And Christian said that they used to live in Forks Washington…when I get home I'll have to look up what the weather is like down there.

OK, so let's pretend for a moment that my insane theory/hypothesis/conclusion/whatever is by some chance correct, that Edward and his family is a bunch of vampires and that Christian Black and his family is a bunch of werewolves…does that mean that werewolves and vampires are natural enemies? Because if Edward and Christian are what I think they are, if ya just observe them, they hate each other…Christian displays his more openly on his sleeve than Edward, but it is still noticeable that Edward does not like Christian.

But, this is all pure and complete insanity of my already overly active imagination.

Right?

----

"Hey guys what's up?" Christian comes out of the school to the curb Emily and I were waiting at for her aunt to come and pick us up; Josh was staying after school for some type of meeting.

"Hey there Chris," Emily greets and smiles at him while I stare forward and tighten my grip on the strap of my backpack which is slung over my shoulder.

"So you guys psyched for tonight?" he yells and does a 'woo-hoo' and thrusts his fists into the air. Emily giggles and joins him; I, do nothing. I could just imagine my own little black thundercloud forming over my head at this moment, but then I remembered something.

"Hey Christian, what kind of weather is down in Forks?" I ask him.

"Uh, well, it's pretty much like this weather, always cloudy and gloomy, except more rain than snow."

"Hm, and are there a lot of forests?"

"Uhm, yeah, sure, there's a good amount of trees up, I mean down there," he answers, "why?" I shrug my shoulders,

"No reason, just curious,"

"You know what Samantha?" I turn to Emily, "You're the only person who calls Chris by his full name…" she ponders and I shrug again.

"And?" I ask, not seeing where she was going with this.

"No reason. So Chris, you're going to come and pick us up right? 6:30 on the dot and don't you dare be late," Emily points at him with a perfect eyebrow arched.

"I wouldn't even dream of it Em," he laughs. I turn to them in confusion. I am so out of the loop at this point.

"Wait, what? I thought Antoinette and Rachel were going to give us a ride there, what happened to that plan?" I ask. I really couldn't wrap my head around driving with Christian, and I didn't want to either. I did not want to get into a car with him; I'd honestly rather walk. Emily flips her hair and her long earrings jangle as she does so.

"Well, Antoinette and Rachel are coming later. Rachel's mom has to work later than she thought so Rach wont be able to get her mom's car until like 7, and I want to get there a little early to establish myself, and Chris here can drive and so he offered to drive us,"

"Don't worry, I'm a great driver! I always drive the speed limit…when I have passengers in that car," he grins at me which make Emily laughs and flirtatiously touch his arm. How does she not notice how hot his body temperature is?

----

I don't understand why it takes Emily so long to get ready. She's a bunny for goodness's sake, how long does it take to look like a bunny? I sit at my desk staring at my laptop playing tetris online. It's 6pm now and I am completely ready in my costume and all. God I was bored. Someone knocks on my door and it's Scott.

"Hey Scott," I greet him staring at the game before me.

"Hey Sam," he watches the screen over my shoulder and he chuckles sarcastically to himself, "you're fucking addicted to tetris Sam. I think it might be time for an intervention,"

"Shut up," I smile, "so what's up?" Scott leans one of his hands on my desk and crosses his legs.

"I just wanted to let you know that you can call me if you need someone to pick you up, like if ya wanna leave early from the party. I know you're a party and alcohol virgin," I playfully narrow my eyes at him.

"Thanks, but aren't you going to a party yourself?" I ask him returning my attention to my game.

"Yeah…"

"In Anchorage…"

"Yeah…" I glance at him skeptically. He got a job in town and a bunch of the employees are going bar hopping for the holiday. "Well, it's only like 15 minutes away, and I gotta look after you and Em; you're my little sister Samantha. I don't know who this Christian guy is, so I don't feel completely comfortable with him driving you guys,"

"That makes two of us," I mumble to my computer and I see Scott smirk.

"And I'm not going to drink much anyway. I just…I haven't exactly been in the mood for celebrating…" he says solemnly. I put my game on pause and look down at my keyboard joining his somber aura. I've noticed he's been depressed. He's struggling with his parents' death more than Emily is. At the funeral Emily was sobbing and was a complete mess, but now, she's still hurting, but she's moved on with her life in a sense. She learned that from me, after deaths you just have to move on. But moving on doesn't mean that you forget the person who died; it just means that you don't become a burden to those around you. Scott is trying to be strong, I can see that, and he's not a burden to us either. But I don't think he has let go of Kevin and Karen yet; he hasn't really accepted that they are gone the way Emily and I have.

"Hey, what do you say we go to Anchorage and just kinda spend the day together, just the two of us, like next weekend? We haven't had anytime to spend together alone since we moved," I suggest as I swivel in the desk chair and face him.

"What about Emily?" he raises a perfect eyebrow at me.

"What about Emily?" I ask back.

"Will she be able to survive without you for a day?" he asks with sarcasm and I shrug my shoulders.

"She'll have to deal. Next weekend is a Scott and Samantha day," I smile at him and for the first time in a while he smiles with his eyes as well as his mouth.

"Sweet. K, call if you need me," he says and hesitates a moment before kissing me on my forehead.

"Bye Scott,"

"Bye Sammy," he says before closing my door behind him. That was the first time he has ever called me his sister, ever since I started living with him and Emily. Maybe that's why I didn't mind it when he called me Sammy. When Christian calls me Sammy, or when Scott used to, it never fitted, but just now it sounded right. Like an older brother calling his younger sister a beloved nickname. It was heartwarming which is new since I have never gotten that feeling from Scott before. I look to the clock on y laptop and it says 6:10. I decide to give my friends back in New York a call.

"Hey Sharron, what's up?"

"_Nothing really, we are in the middle of monopoly, and I just gave up. It's a dumb ass game,"_ I chuckle; she hates that game so much.

"I know it is,"

"_So what are your plans for this glorious holiday?"_ she asks while chewing on something.

"I'm going to a party with Emily," I say putting my phone on speaker and continuing my game. The other end of the phone is silent. "Sharron?"

"_Oh my God, you're going to a party? Like an actually party?"_ I sigh,

"Yeah, Emily wants me to go and I got nothing better to do anyway so might as well. It's at some girl's house and it's going to be, 'party of the year' blah, blah, blah. It's so dumb and pointless," Sharron laughs,

"_What are you going as?"_ she asks.

"A cat, I'll take a picture and email it to you, it's totally cute. Emily and I found all this awesome clothing and put it together and it looks awesome."

"_You finally found your camera?"_ she asks,

"Yeap,"

"_Nice, so is your Edward going to this party?"_ she asks slyly and I roll my eyes.

"No, he's not. None of his family is but that's cool with me. I'll take lots of pictures for you; I'll take pictures of the town I live in,"

"_Very nice. When's this party in which you speak so highly of?"_

"Emily and I are getting picked up by a friend at six-thirty. Hey you know what's really weird?"

"_What?"_

"Scott called me his little sister today, and acted like an older brother," Sharron starts laughing hysterically, "You know what this means right?"

"_Hell yes! He's found himself a woman! Laughing My Ass Off Samantha! Seriously! That guy has had a crush on you ever since I could remember! Oh my God this is too funny!"_ I laugh along with her,

"It was really endearing. You know how I hated it whenever he called me Sam or Sammy? Well I didn't when he called me it today, it was really cute and it fit,"

"_Aw, my wittle SammyWammy! Dat is sooo cuteeeeeee!" _she coos at me.

"No."

"_Sorry," _she laughs. I absolutely hate it when people talk, not just to me, but to anyone, as if they were a little unintelligent baby.

"Um, Sharron?" I ask,

"_What is it?" _she asks immediately detecting the sudden change in my voice and attitude.

"I just wanted to say that, if I start not calling as much or emailing or whatever, it's not because I don't wanna be friends with you guys, I mean I love you all. But…just being in Alaska and…and the way things have been going with…_you know," _how I am surrounded by death, "things are kind of hard, like keeping in touch and visiting…and…"

"_Samantha…I totally understand and it's cool. We all know what you've been through and you have really done a lot for us and Emily and Scott. You put up with a lot of shit and you never complained once, at least not since I've known you which have been a one day less than Emily," _she laughs, _"Samantha it's totally cool. We'll miss you and stuff, but we'll always love you. We understand," _

"Thanks Sharron."

"_Anytime babe,"_ I can practically hear her smiling through the phone. _"What the fuck!?! You're such a cheating Bastard!!!" _I hear Kim yell, most likely at Brian, in the background. _"What the…shit, I gotta go Samantha," _

"Damage control?" I laugh

"_Chya, you know it, bye-bye darling!"_

"Bye," I hang up my phone and stare at it for a moment until Scott yells up from the base of the staircase that leads to the attic,

"Sam! You're driver is here! And tell Em to hurry the hell up!" I quickly shutdown my computer and gather some things to put in Emily's purse since I don't carry one and I grab a black jacket that kind of looked like a leather biker jacket except it wasn't leather. After leaving my bedroom I walk past Emily's bedroom to see her curling her hair in her bunny costume.

"Emily come on, Christian is here,"

"Ugh! I know! I know! I'm almost done!" she says frantically. I shake my head and go down the hall and the second staircase to the foyer to see the large man like boy standing next to Scott. My 'older brother' leans against the railing of the staircase throwing up his keys then catching them idly.

"Hey Scott, I thought you left," I say stopping on the last step of stairs.

"Nah, not yet," he says looking at me over his shoulder. I look past and in between Christian and Scott to see Stephanie run in front of me.

"Samantha! What do you think of my costume!?" she asks me twirling around in her what I presumed to be a fairy-princess costume. It was pink, lime green, powder blue, white and lavender, poofy, frilly, and she had wings, a wand and a tiara.

"You look absolutely amazing Stephanie, you look wonderful," I praise her and she jumps up and down gleefully.

"I made it all by myself!" Scott and I raise an eyebrow each at her accusingly, "with the help of Momma of course," she adds bashfully.

"Of course, give credit where credit is due," I remind her and she smiles. "So you going trick or treating?"

"Well duh, I'm going to get so much candy! Me and Shawn every year have a contest to see who gets the most candy. Rebecca used to do this contest but then she got 'too old and mature'." She makes a mimicking face, "Last year Shawn won, but this year I'm going to kick his butt!" she shouts.

"Very nice," I say and I crouch down to her level still on the stair and I whisper to her, "if you need any extra candy for the win, I have some in my room in my top left desk drawer," she gasps in a devious manner and I wink at her. "Whatever you do, don't tell Shawn," she nods her head and salutes me.

"Stephie, come here, I need to finish your hair," Darleen calls from the bathroom.

"Coming mom!" and she disappear into the house.

"So where's Emily?" Christian asks. I notice he is in a werewolf costume. He would so do that. He is the type of person that would pretty much display something that he was trying to keep secret so blatantly that no one would care.

"She's still doing her hair," I mention but I get distracted when Scott answers his phone.

"K…yeah, I'm leaving now, I'll see ya there," he hangs up his phone and looks to me. "Gotta go, call me if you need me,"

"Naturally, say hi to Olivia for me," I smirk at him. Scott turns around abruptly.

"How did you…?" I laugh softly,

"I met her while going on one of my runs on Tuesday and we got to talking. Also she called the house one time asking for you, she's really sweet," Scott smiles and puts on his jacket.

"I know, see ya,"

"Bye," Once Scott leaves Christian sticks his hands in his pockets,

"So, uh, Sam…"

"Finally! I'm ready! Let's go! Let's go! Let's go!" Emily yells while rushing down the stairs and shoving all of us out the front door. "Bye Aunt Darleen! We're leaving now!" she calls over her shoulder.

-----

I flop down on my bed with an exerted sigh. Oh the fluffy goodness of pillows and comforters. They felt especially good since they were cool against my warm face. I get up with a bit of a struggle and open the window parallel to my bed to let in some more chilled air that set shivers throughout my body when I opened it. I kneel down next to the window inhaling the early morning wintery breeze that filled my room. The Halloween party was a complete waste of time and was completely pointless. Tomorrow I'm going to hear only of Emily's hangover and I really don't want to hear any of it. I ate so much at Jennifer's house because I was so bored. It wasn't a Halloween party at all. Sure everyone had costumes on but that's all it had that remotely came close to Halloween themed. Everyone just drank and danced. Granted that wasn't all there was and it really wasn't _that _bad, but for me it was. The smell of that much alcohol made me queasy. No more parties for me, no more.


	9. Chapter 9

helloooooo. so this is kind of a silly "filler" chapter if you will, and i am working on the next chapter and it will be out within this very week, before the weekend i promise and its gunna be oh so very long juicy, confrontational, action packed and AWESOME! haha **_I_** can't even wwait lol. and one thing...im changing how vampires 'sparkle' in the sunlight. it annoys the crap out of me. so im gunna change it to the original burning, but only in DIRECT sunlight. I mean, cuz thenwhats so bad about being a vampire? you live forever, drink animal blood, sparkle, never have to sleep oh no! (sarcasm) so i hope you dont mind. It'll add more DRAMA to it all O__O lol. crap i really need to take more robitussin XP blech

Disclaimer: i own nothingggggggg

**_REVEIW DAMMIT_**

Kthanxbaii

* * *

So it is Friday yet again and it is going to be a great weekend to make up for the not as great week. I mean, the week wasn't that bad but it was…for me. It was the sunniest week ever and the Cullen's being vampires, of course weren't in school. Yeap, I have officially decided that they are a clan of vampires. I could be wrong, heck I probably am wrong, but I don't really care. It's a way for me to keep my sanity and a way for me to explain all of the bizarreness of that family.

"Sam why are you so glum on such a nice, warm, sunshine day like today?" asks Christian as we sit at the picnic tables in the courtyard for lunch today. I hum an 'I don't know' to him as I lean my chin on my palm and my other hand rests in my lap. I did know why I was 'glum'. I missed the Cullen family terribly…

Alright, alright I missed _Edward_ and _Alice _terribly. Yes, Edward _and _Alice. Over the week I have had time to think over my feelings and I have come to the conclusion that I love Edward and Alice, I really do, along with the rest of their family of course but I just connected more with them. One thing I am not sure of is exactly how I love the beautiful Edward Cullen. Do I just love him or am I in love with him. There's a big difference, there is.

"So what is everyone doing for the weekend?" Randy asks. Everyone pretty much says that they have no plans. "Awesome! We should all go to the movies or something!" he suggests while throwing a football to someone. That someone then throws it to Christian who then throws it back.

"Totally! Samantha and I are in, what movie should we see? Does anyone know what's out anyway?" Emily says inspecting the ends of her hair.

"Actually I can't go," I mumble looking out to the parking lot; a part of me still foolishly hoping that a certain silver Volvo will appear.

"What? What do you have that won't let you come?" Antoinette and Emily ask their own question at the same time. My blue eyes shift over to them.

"I'm going to Anchorage with Scott on Saturday,"

"What? Why? And how come I didn't know about this?" Emily asks with her full attention on me. I knew exactly that this was the way she was going to react. The rest of the table were watching us, expecting a cat fight.

"It never came up, Scott and I haven't spent anytime together so we decided to go to Anchorage and do so," I calmly answer. I'm so bored. At least with Alice and Edward and the rest of them here I could focus on my obsession over them. Ugh.

"Want?" I look to my left and Zoe is holding up her white left earphone for me. I smile and take it from her, "Thanks," Oh! My head immediately starts rockin out to the sweet electric guitar and smooth rhythmic drums and the velvet voice of Rob Thomas and instrument by Santana in the song 'Smooth'. Before the second verse my whole body is dancing along with sensually hot tempo and beat. Zoe and I sing out the lyrics.

"Man it's a hot one  
Like seven inches from the midday sun  
I hear you whispering the words that melt everyone  
But you stay so cool  
My muñequita, my Spanish harlem mona lisa  
You're my reason for reason  
The step in my groove

BRIDGE:  
And if you said this life ain't good enough  
I would give my world to lift you up  
I could change my life to better suit your mood  
Cause you're so smooth

CHORUS:  
And just like the ocean under the moon  
Well it's the same as the emotion that I get from you  
You got the kind of lovin that can be so smooth  
Give me your heart, make it real  
Or else forget about it

I'll tell you one thing  
If you would leave it would be a crying shame  
In every breath and every word, I hear your name is callin' me out, yeah  
Out from the barrio, you hear my rhythm on your radio  
You feel the turning of the world so soft and slow  
Turning you round and round

BRIDGE:  
And if you said this life ain't good enough  
I would give my world to lift you up  
I could change my life to better suit your mood  
'Cause your so smooth

CHORUS:  
And it's just like the ocean under the moon  
Well it's the same as the emotion that I get from you  
You got the kinda lovin' that can be so smooth, yeah  
Give me your heart, make it real  
Or else forget about it

(guitar solo)

CHORUS:  
And it's just like the ocean under the moon  
Well, that's the same emotion that I get from you  
You got the kinda lovin' that can be so smooth, yeah  
Gimmie your heart, make it real  
Or else forget about it

Or else forget about it...  
Or else forget about it...  
Or else go and forget about it...  
Gimmie your heart, make it real  
Or else forget about it, oh oh now let's go and forget about it...  
Or else forget about it, oh oh now let's go and forget about it...  
Now now now, let's go and forget about it...

(or else forget about it, or else forget about it or else forget about it)"

Everyone broke out into laughter since Zoe and I were making complete fools of ourselves but we had no problem with that as we laughed along. "Oh hell yes! I love this song!" Zoe says cranking the next song up even louder and bouncing to the beat. I immediately recognize it as 'Paralyzer' by Finger Eleven and I begin to move to the dance beat.

"Ugh, not again!" Antoinette laughs.

"No, no, no, no," Christian waves her off smirking wildly, "I wanna see this," he towers over her, who is sitting directly across from me at the picnic table. Zoe and I belt out this song totally care free and just having too much fun,

"I hold on so nervously  
To me and my drink  
I wish it was cooling me  
But so far, has not been good  
It's been shitty  
And I feel awkward, as I should  
This club has got to be  
The most pretentious thing  
Since I thought you and me  
Well I am imagining  
A dark lit place  
Or your place or my place

Well I'm not paralyzed  
But, I seem to be struck by you  
I want to make you move  
Because you're standing still  
If your body matches  
What your eyes can do  
You'll probably move right through  
Me on my way to you

I hold out for one more drink  
Before I think  
I'm looking too desperately  
But so far has not been fun  
I should just stay home  
If one thing really means one  
This club will hopefully  
Be closed in three weeks  
That would be cool with me  
Well I'm still imagining  
A dark lit place  
Or your place or my place

Well I'm not paralyzed  
But, I seem to be struck by you  
I want to make you move  
Because you're standing still  
If your body matches  
What your eyes can do  
You'll probably move right through  
Me on my way to you

We'll I'm not paralyzed  
But, I seem to be struck by you  
I want to make you move  
Because you're standing still  
If your body matches  
What your eyes can do  
You'll probably move right through  
Me on my way to you

Not paralyzed  
But, I seem to be struck by you  
I want to make you move  
Because you're standing still  
If your body matches  
What your eyes can do  
You'll probably move right through  
Me on my way to you

You'll probably move right through  
Me on my way to you

You'll probably move right through  
Me on my way to you"

"Now Sam, how come you didn't dance like that at the Halloween party?" Christian asks laughing. I just shrug my shoulder and hand the earphone back to Zoe and I turn around in the bench seat to help Randy out with his French homework.

"Oh my god I love this song!" Zoe exclaims, "But I have no idea what the lyrics are! Don't you just hate that?"

"What song is it?" Emily asks.

"Snow Hey Oh by the Red Hot Chili Peppers" Emily and I look at each other then she starts laughing hysterically.

"Samantha knows that song by HEART! She could sing it without even listening to it,"

"Do it, I wanna see her do this," Christian kneels besides Zoe with the head phone in one of his ears. I chuckle.

"Let me just hear until when he starts singing," he hands me the headphone and I listen and then give it back to him when it starts. I still help out Randy with his homework,

"Come to decide that the things that I tried  
Were in my life just to get high on  
When I sit alone come get a little known  
But I need more than myself this time

Step from the road to the sea to the sky  
And I do believe it, we rely on  
When I lay it on come get to play it on  
All my life to sacrifice

Refrain:  
Hey oh, listen what I say, oh  
I got your hey oh, now listen what I say, oh

When will I know that I really can't go  
To the well once more time to decide on  
When it's killing me, when will I really see  
All that I need to look inside

Come to believe that I better not leave  
Before I get my chance to ride  
When it's killing me, what do I really need  
All that I need to look inside

Refrain:  
Hey oh, listen what I say, oh  
Come back and hey oh, look at what I say, oh

Stick:  
The more I see, the less I know  
The more I like to let it go  
Hey oh, whoa

Deep beneath the cover of another perfect wonder  
Where it's so white as snow  
Privately divided by a world so undecided  
And there's nowhere to go

In between the cover of another perfect wonder  
And it's so white as snow  
Running through a field where all my tracks will be concealed  
And there's nowhere to go

When to descend to amend for a friend  
All the channels that have broken down  
Now you bring it up, I'm gonna ring it up  
Just to hear you sing it out

Step from the road to the sea to the sky  
And I do believe what we rely on  
When I lay it on, come get to play it on  
All my life to sacrifice

Refrain:  
Hey oh, listen what I say, oh  
I got your hey oh, listen what I say, oh

Stick:  
The more I see, the less I know  
The more I like to let it go  
Hey oh, whoa

Deep beneath the cover of another perfect wonder  
Where it's so white as snow  
Privately divided by a world so undecided  
And there's nowhere to go

In between the cover of another perfect wonder  
Where it's so white as snow  
Running through the field where all my tracks will be concealed  
And there's nowhere to go

I said hey, hey yeah, oh yeah, tell my Lord now  
Hey, hey yeah, oh yeah, tell my Lord now  
Deep beneath the cover of another perfect wonder  
Where it's so white as snow

Privately divided by a world so undecided  
And there's nowhere to go  
Deep beneath the cover of another perfect wonder  
Where it's so white as snow

Running through the field where all my tracks will be concealed  
And there's nowhere to go  
I said hey, oh yeah, oh yeah, tell my love now  
Hey, hey yeah, oh yeah,"

This last song brought us to the end of the lunch period and to our next classes and unfortunately, mine was going to be missing a certain someone.


	10. Chapter 10

omg it has been sooo long. this chapter suckss! Ugh, ok, so for some reason on my laptop, Microsoft Word wasnt working, so i started it on WordPad, but then it didnt save for some reason! it was so good it was godly! so i rewrote this and its pretty much crap XP but oh well. i hope you enjoyy...

* * *

"Hey Scott, I thought you wanted it to just be me and you today," I ask softly as we walk down the stairs.

"Yeah well, Emily was nagging me and I just got tired of hearing her voice. But no worries, we can always find a shoe store and ditch her," he smirks.

"Bout time you slow pokes got down here, come on let's go already!" Emily hastens our pace out of the door.

"Hey you're lucky you're even coming," Scott snaps as we get into his car.

"Jeez, what's your problem?" Emily asks with an attitude of her own, I could sense a fight a brewing and I really didn't want that, today was supposed to be a nice and relaxing day.

"Can we turn on the radio?" I ask as I buckle my seatbelt.

"Sure thing," Scott answers and the bickering siblings cease as we all zone out to the music that was playing. Hopefully I will be able to keep peace between the two as we all go shopping and what not. I sigh and lean back comfortably in the seat watching out of the window. I feel as though I should say something symbolic here. Like 'as I watch the passing trees and cars go by me, it made me realize how the world is moving on…not caring on what happens to my own world'. I feel like I should say that or something like it, but the thing is today, I feel nothing. I don't even care to realize that the world does move on no matter who dies or who isn't in school for a whole week, or who is a vampire or werewolf, the world itself simply does not care, it just revolves on and on and on. Frankly I don't care that the world doesn't care either. All I feel at the moment is an immense amount of exhaustion and carelessness, for no reason really. I slept fine last night and…well I don't really know to be quite honest. I sigh again and lean forward in my seat and put my cool palms on either side of my cheeks and apply pressure to my face as my hands move upward pushing back against my hair and moving it out of my face. I want to go home and sleep.

Funny.

When I thought of 'home'…I didn't think of my current place of residency, I didn't think of Emily's house that we used to live in, I didn't even picture my first home…I pictured the Cullen's house. I take a deep breath and shake my head. I am so weird.

------

The smell of cigarettes, grilled chicken, beer, seasoned vegetables, steak, and wine intoxicate the restaurant as we look at the large menus. The waitress, extremely flirtatious with Scott, takes our orders. Emily, a salad with grilled chicken and a lemonade; at the mention of the word I could feel my taste buds react to the nonexistent sweetness of lemonade in my mouth by contracting, least it felt like they were; Scott, a stake with fries with a coke and myself, chicken parmesan.

"Can I have a lemonade as well please?" The waitress nods her dirty blonde head and takes the menus before winking at Scott.

"Slut" Emily mumbles once she leaves.

"She's cute," my brother shrugs.

"She wears way too much make up,"

"You're one to talk,"

"Are we going to do anymore shopping after we eat?" I interject for God knows how many times for this one day. Scott leans back in his booth,

"Nah, probably not, I'm beat,"

"Same" Emily yawns. It amused me to see the weariness showing in their eyes.

"So, Scott, how's things with Olivia been going?" I ask while propping my elbows on the table, I was tempted to lay my head down but I resisted.

"S'been goin, been going real good," he smirks and his green eyes disappear from the restaurant and go to a past time he had with Olivia.

"Ew God Scott, how long have you been going out for?" Emily cringes.

"A week, and we haven't done that yet,"

"Oh so you plan on staying with Olivia for a while? Long term relationship? What? Scott Stevenson? It can't be true," I mock him and he just smiles crookedly and my thoughts move to Edward and his perfect crooked smile.

"Yeah, ya know, I really like her, like a lot," he laughs which brings me back to the restaurant. I swear Edward Cullen makes me so crazy! I chuckle, it seemed to Emily and Scott that I was laughing along with them but I was really laughing at myself. Yes, Edward made me completely insane because I could never stop thinking about him but I didn't want to stop either, so it's as much my fault as it is his; I enjoyed thinking about him too much.

"Samantha, so do you really plan on drawing on the new shoes you got?" Emily asks as the waitress returns with our drinks. I nod my head and quench my thirst and desire for the yellow liquid, it was so sweet and delectable. I could practically feel it pour its way down my throat, the coldness was so refreshing. -Arrant arbitrary thought: I wonder if this is what it feels like when a vampire drinks blood-

I had bought a pair of all white, high top converses and a bunch of sharpie markers and I planned on drawing all over them.

"What do you plan on drawing?" Emily asks and I shrug my shoulders.

"Dunno, probably just a bunch of random and abstract stuff most likely," the rest of the dinner went well, there were no arguments (big ones at least) between sister and brother and we all had a good time. The three of us paid once the meal was devoured and left a mild tip for the "slut" waitress as Emily kept saying all night.

The walk back to the car was relatively long but thankfully we didn't have to carry any shopping bags since we already stashed them in the car before we went on a quest for food. The air was getting awfully chilly and I, being the intelligent person that I am, only have on my dark grey zip up sweatshirt as a coat. I looked like a hoodlum walking down the dark street with my hood up and my fists shoved deep into my pockets. It also didn't help that I was only wearing a white wife-beater (complimentary of Scott, he always gave me his wife beater tank tops that became too small for him) underneath the sweatshirt and a pair of dark blue skinny jeans and my black converses, which imprison no heat, whatsoever! I. Am. An idiot. "Ha, told ya you were gunna freeze your ass off!" Emily laughs in my face.

"Meh meh meh meh meh meh," I mimic her. Odd enough as it is, the cold weather in Alaska, doesn't bother me, at least not in the day. But at night it gets so freaking cold!

"Ahhhhhh...shiiiiitttt man…" Emily and I turn around to see Scott patting himself down.

"What?" Emily asks,

"Dude, you betta RUN. I am _not_ standing out here forever and get hypothermia," I threaten him with empty terrorization.

"Fuuuck…" he groans and turns around and starts walking back the way we came.

"I said RUN, Scott, RUN!" I yell and I begin to walk back to the car.

"What just happened?" Emily asks as she catches up to me,

"Your dumb brother forgot the car keys," I say with clattering teeth.

"What a dumbass," she rolls her brown eyes.

We make it back to the car when we hear a loud boom coming from the dark sky above us. We look up and water just ours down onto us. Emily begins laughing hysterically as she puts up her hood on her waterproof jacket. "Super" I mumble as I lean against the car. The parking lot was empty except for Scott's truck and a two other cars parked spaciously apart. The lot is located in between a back way street and the buildings of stores and restaurants and whatnot and across from the parking lot is another, smaller back way road running perpendicular to the a little bit larger back road. The smaller road goes into the forest near by. I sigh as I begin to shiver. I hate, cold, rain.

"What the hell is taking Scott so long?" Emily whines after about twenty minutes of standing in the pouring rain. I shrug a shoulder,

"Probably talking to the waitress," I mumble as my teeth chatter. Oh my god. I roll my eyes and groan at my own stupidity. "God Emily we are so stupid, instead of standing in the rain why didn't we go into one of the stores and wait there until Scott returned?" We are silent for a moment.

"Fuck,"

"Come on," I moan as I push off of the car and start walking back to the small alleyway that we walked through.

"I can't believe we didn't think of that,"

"We're such morons," we walk to the nearest store but it's closed. I look around at all of the other stores and see that none of them have any lights on. "Emily what time is it?"

"Oh no, are all of the stores closed?" she whines.

"It looks like it. Bummer man," I say looking around the street. My eyes catch a glance of four guys walking down the street laughing boisterously. My instincts take over as a grab Emily's arm and I tug her carefully back the way we came.

"Where are we going?"

"Hush up Emily and just come with me," I say quietly.

"What's wrong?"

"Are you that unobservant?" I ask sarcastically, "Can you not see those men behind us? No, no don't look!" But she does look and I hear her take a quick intake in breath. Good thing she wasn't that dumb to not see the danger in this situation. I could smell the alcohol coming from them all the way down couple of blocks that separated us from them. "Stop staring Emily," she turns around quickly, her face was frozen in fear. "Emily how far away are they from us?"

"U-uh, l-like um, a little more than a block or so," she stutters in a small voice. No, they can't be, when I saw them they were at least five blocks away, how did they catch up to us so quickly? Surely they didn't spot us already, had they? We turn into the small alleyway that leads to the parking lot. I couldn't properly judge how far away they were because of the pounding rainfall. Once we made it to the other side of the alleyway my heart fell into my stomach when I didn't see Scott; I was hoping he was there, with the keys to the car so that we could get out of here, but he wasn't there. Crap. I pull Emily towards the car. "Samantha, they're coming closer!" she whispers, her voice cracking. I turn around when we reach the car. Crap, I gotta think, I'm not sure on what to do, come on Samantha think!

"Hey, hey," one of the guys says coming towards us, Emily cowers slightly and I straighten my stance.

"Shut it Dean," another says, I'm suspecting he's the 'leader' of the group, he looks back to us and through the curtain of rain I can barely see his dark eyes flicker up and down at Emily and I, "What are a pair of…beautiful girls like yourself doing out here in the middle of the night in the pouring rain?" he sighs the word beautiful. It wasn't the middle of the night was it? It couldn't be past 11. I chuckle,

"We couldn't find our car! Typical us to forget where we park our car," I roll my eyes also gesturing with my hand. "But if you will excuse us, we need to get to a store, we need to buy some more feminine products," I song sing, "It's so funny how we both got our periods at the same time! And we are both on a heavy cycle, its so bizarre how Mother Nature works," I chuckle again. "Like, right now, blood is just flowing from our bodies and our pants and underwear are soaked with blood, it's really gross," I laugh as I take Emily's hand and gently force our way through them, "Bye, bye," We walk away but then the leader runs up to me and puts his heavy arm around my shoulders making Emily gasp; his breath smelled atrociously like beer, but it wasn't nearly as strong as his friends' breath.

"None of the stores are open…uh…what's your name?"

"Renee, and this is Karen,"

"Nice to meet you Renee and Karen, my name is Jayson; most people just call me Jay,"

"Oh, it's nice to meet you," I smile at him. Ahhh! I don't know how to get out of this situation! Jayson stops walking making me stop as well, Emily is near by being circled by his buddies.

"Ya know, Renee, I don't really like it when girls lie to me, I know you don't have your period," he smirks and I freeze. My heart starts pounding in my chest and my breath gets caught there as well. He leans his lips to my ear, "Why do you have to lie to me?" he whispers. I react immediately when his hand goes to touch my cheek. I grab his shirt and pull him to me as my knee smashes into his groin and he doubles over. I turn and grab Emily's wrist and run, my destination was the restaurant. I get pulled back by the hood of my sweatshirt and I am thrown to the ground, I hear laughing. Someone gets on top of me and pins my wrists to the ground. I open my eyes to see Jayson smiling menacingly. "You are so lucky you didn't hit my package. I like you girl, I like you a lot, you got a lot of fight in ya, that's a major fucking turn on," I glance over and see Emily starting to get attacked by the other three guys. She's screaming as they taunt her like a poor caged animal.

"Get off!" I yell and I thrash around my body and eventually kicking him off of me. I scramble to my feet and run to Emily. I jump on the back of one of the guys and shift my weight so that we would fall backwards. He falls and I make sure to slam his head into the pavement. "Emily when you get a chance run!" I yell, getting up I run to one of the other guys and punch him in the face, drawing blood from his nose, but then I'm pushed to the ground by a punch coming from the side of my face. I tumble but get up immediately attacking whoever was coming at me. The men are cursing at me and finally I am shoved to the ground again and three of them start kicking me and punching me. All I could do is grit my teeth and curl up into a ball to try and protect myself.

"Get away from her, this bitch is mine, go handle that other one," and the other disappear from me. I stand up immediately as Jayson grabs my throat and slams me against a cold hard pole. His other hand starts ripping at my clothes, all I can hear is his insults towards me and Emily's sobbing screams. I scream in pure rage and grab Jayson's 'package' and twist making him holler out in pain. He lets go of me and I try to run to Emily but one of the other guys in the group comes to me and starts to attack me. He grabs me by my hair and throws me to the ground. "You fucking whore!" he yells

"NO SAMANTHA!!" Emily screeches in horror. I look to see her and the other three guys standing staring at me. I turn my head when I hear a loud horn and a set of headlights blind my eyes. I have flashbacks from the accident that killed Emily's parents. The giant truck's brakes screech but its no use because of the amount of water and ice on the road. I couldn't move. This is it. I'm so sorry Emily. I close my eyes and cringe away when the vehicle gets close to me and I hear a giant crash. I feel something cradle me and I press up against whatever it was. It was so hard and absolutely freezing and mixed in with all of the blood, rain, and broken car smell, I smelled a wonderful and calming wintery fresh aroma. I open my eyes to be literally nose to nose with Edward Cullen. I couldn't control my panting and I dare not let go of my death grip that I hand on his blood stained shirt. The look in his golden eyes was of confusion, anger, relief, and…agony.

"Edward…" I breathe out his name.

"SAMANTHA!!!" Emily sobs and screams. I snap out of my daze and call out for my friend but my voice gets stuck, and I try again, wiggling free of Edward's protective clutch and crawling out to the clearing. "Em-Em…Emily!" I scream finally running back to her.

"You fucking bitch! I'm going to just fucking kill you!" Jayson yells as he pushes me to the ground and stands over me. I look to my left when I hear the revving of a speeding car's engine and a silver Volvo comes flying out of no where and swerves to a stop in between Jayson and I. Edward gets out of the of the driver's side and walks right up to Jayson.

"Get in the car Samantha," Edward says in a calm low yet angered voice. I get up and limp to Emily and tug on her jacket, the men surrounding her had gone to back up Jayson. As I hasten Emily into the backseat of the car, I see the truck that would have killed me if not for Edward. Through the rain I see a green off road type of vehicle, smashed to look like it hit the car. I catch a glimpse of Alice and Emmett setting up the scene. I understand the cover up story they are trying to portray.

"Who the fuck do you think you are you little punk?" one of them sneers. I slowly and cautiously walk around the back of the car and walk up behind Edward. I hear the Cullen boy growl and hiss oh so quietly, the men don't know what to think of it. I need to be careful, I am covered in blood and Edward is a vampire, an angry vampire. _Edward, let's go,_ I whisper in my mind as I gently and slowly place my hands around his tense bicep. He is as still as a statue but his eyes are looking at me so I plead again moving closer to him, putting my lips on his soaked jacket, inhaling his scent which gave me the courage to ignore the stares from the men. My lack of adrenaline also meant a lack of courage. I whisper in my head again, putting my forehead on his arm, sudden fear woke up within me as I replay the images of what just happened to Emily and I, and what could have happened. I also imagine what would happen to Edward if he didn't get away from all of this blood, what would happen to him and his family if his secret was exposed. So I whisper, _Edward, please, _willing this alluring creature to come with me, away from this place. I press against him and he swiftly turns his back to the men and shields me from them by wrapping his ice arms around me and ushering me into the driver's seat. He must not want me to pass the men to get to the passenger side of the car. I slide over the gear shift into the passenger seat and I turn around stiffly to Emily.

"Hey Emily, how are you doing?" I ask through gritted teeth, my side was in so much pain; as a matter of fact everything was hurting now. I guess my adrenaline rush kept me from feeling the pain of all of my injuries I had received.

"I-I'm ok, are you OK?" I smile at her,

"Perfectly fine," My blue eyes glance at Edward as he revs the engine and drives wildly away from the scene. "Put on your seatbelt," I instruct her, which she does so. I turn around in my seat and put my own seatbelt on. I look at Edward, his face was so angered, so furious that he was bending the wheel with his hand. I don't think he was even breathing. "Emily, open your window," I open my window as well and Edward does the same as he leans towards the breeze. My eyelids begin to feel so heavy. So now, not only is Edward a vampire, he's a vampire that can read minds. That's probably how he and Alice talked during school, but I don't think he can read my mind, only when I call out to him...with my mind that it. But does that mean that Alice can read minds as well as Edward? Maybe all vampires can read thoughts...

"Samantha," Edward calls my name in the most soothing of voices that I have ever heard; I notice his hand is on my thigh. "You must stay awake, you have several head injuries..."

"Mm," I acknowledge him, I am aware that you're not supposed to fall asleep when you have head wounds, but I didn't even realize that I had fallen asleep. Maybe I just started to drift or something...

"Samantha," Edward calls my name again while gently shaking my leg. I straighten up with a groan and face him,

"Sorry, talk to me please," all I wanted was to sleep at this point, "Where are we going?"

"The hospital,"

"...in Haines?" Edward looks at me while driving a million miles per hour, and I could not decipher his expression.

"That's correct," he says turning his hair soaked head back to the road.

"How come? Is it because your father is a doctor there?" I ask.

"Yes, I guess you could say that he is the only doctor that I trust,"

"I see," I glance over my shoulder to see Emily fast asleep and I feel a pang of jealousy, I wanted to sleep too.

"We're here," Edward says turning off the engine.

"What? How fast were you driving?"

"Pretty fast," he smirks but then it disappears when his eyes glance at my damaged body, he gets out of the car and I open my own door with some struggle, why was the door so heavy?

"Emily, wake up,"

"Hunh?" She looks around and I hear her car door open. I stand up and walk but my legs felt so weak and my head began spinning so much that I collapsed, unexpectedly into the cold, comforting arms of Edward. "Samantha I thought you said that you were fine," Emily says with concern. I try to stand but Edward won't let me. He reaches under me and picks me up bridal style without so much as a grunt or anything. He holds me away from his body and carries me into the hospital.

"Edward! What happened?" A nurse at the desk asks standing up,

"Get my father," he orders.

"Right, of course,"

----

"How is she Dr. Cullen?" Darleen asks when Edward's father returns from getting the X-rays. I was in a room wearing nothing but a hospital gown and I was very uncomfortable with the entire McKellar family in the not too large room. Edward was waiting outside, or so he said he was. The doctor places the X-rays on the light thing and shows them to us. Dr. Carlisle Cullen is most likely the youngest doctor I have ever seen and definitely the most handsome one too. His skin was just as pale as Edward's and the rest of his family, and his hair was a very appealing blonde color, and last, he was a vampire; it was so obvious to me now.

"Well, as you can see here, she has two fractured ribs," he indicates with his pen, "as well as a sprained wrist. These are the only serious injuries that she has, there was nothing wrong with her skull and no internal bleeding of any kind. Most of her other injuries are just bruises, cuts and scraps." Darleen sighs in relief and puts her hand over her chest,

"Oh thank the Lord Almighty,"

"But I would like to keep her over night, just to be sure nothing develops,"

"Oh, um, I don't know, Ron? How do you feel about this?" Darleen asks and he shrugs,

"Well, it's up to the kid, she's old enough to make these types of decisions," I have grown to like Ron. He's an interesting fellow once you get to know him. He loves to play chess, so we play all the time. I haven't been able to beat him at all, but he's said that I am the best competitor out of everyone else he's played in his family.

"If it's what the doctor recommends, I should probably do it," I say. Dr. Cullen hands me my bag of ice from the night table,

"Keep icing that black eye," I nod and take the bag placing it delicately on my right eye.

"Samantha would you like us to stay? Would you like me to stay? Or maybe one of us?" Darleen asks in such a worrying mother's tone.

"No, I'll be fine, thank you,"

"Alright then, I guess we should leave now, let her get some rest?" Carlisle nods his head as the whole clan shuffles out of the door.

"Uh, Dr. Cullen," I call for him before he leaves me alone. He turns around, "Can I ask you a personal question?" I bite my lip and look away, I am sure that the entire Cullen family knows of my type of questions, so I decide to play it as if the question is embarrassing for me. The doctor shuts the door and walks to the side of my bed.

"What is your question Samantha?"

"Uhm, well I wanted to know if you would thank Edward, Emmett and Alice for me?" I continue before he can get out of listening to what I have to say. "I know Emmett didn't sacrifice his car for Emily or me, I know he did it for Edward, to keep Edward safe. And I also just wanted to let you know that...well that I know what you are, and you don't have to worry, I'm not gunna tell. You don't seem to want to…uh hurt any of the humans since well you don't eat...or drink? Humans...yeah, so um..."

"Samantha..." he hesitates for a long time before speaking again, "Get some sleep, I'll wake you up when it's time to take some more of your medication, and Alice will visit," he smiles making me smile in turn.

"OK"

------

A cold hand touches my cheek and my eyes open to see the smallest of the Cullen family. "Alice!" I sit up to hug her, but I sit up a little too quickly.

"Don't hurt yourself, please?" she asks while hugging me gently. I look around when she releases me to see every member of the Cullen Family: Rosalie, Emmett, Jasper, Alice, Carlisle, Esme, and Edward.

"OK, so let's get down to business," Emmett says clapping and rubbing his hands together, "Tell us what you know," Edward was leaning against the wall a little off of Emmett's shoulders and I see Edward roll his eyes, reading Emmett's mind perhaps? "Depending on what and how much you know will determine if we need to kill you," Emmett smirks a dangerous smirk that could only be done by a dangerous vampire.

"Samantha, why are you smiling?" Jasper asks in a softer voice than Emmett's.

"Hm?" I look to Jasper who is standing behind Alice, "I'm happy I guess," I smile at him. I look back to Edward when I hear him chuckle to himself,

"Even after Emmett threatened to kill you?" he raises an eyebrow and so I shrug my shoulders.

"Come on, come on, I'm getting impatient," I can't help but laugh at Emmett.

"Well, I know that you are all vampires...or at least not human, am I right?" I look to Alice who is smiling,

"Yes! How did you figure it out?" she asks, this was just a complete game to her.

"Uhm, well, when I first came here, I went into the woods because my two dogs needed to go to the bathroom. Fabio had gotten away from me and so I went in search of him. That was when Edward attacked me..." I say glancing at him. He moves from the wall to the foot of the hospital bed,

"You remember that?" he asks.

"Yes...how could I not? You thought I'd forgotten?"

"Yes, actually. I would think that after something like that happened, when we were in the cafeteria you would have stood up and screamed or been in fear, or...well not act the way you did around me, it seemed as if you...forgot; or you repressed the memory,"

"No," I say tilting my head while curiously wondering why Edward would think that I could ever repress any memory of him, "No,"

"So what you're telling us is based off of that one event, you deduced that we are all vampires?" Rosalie questions me with a glaring or skeptical eyes...I wasn't quite sure actually.

"Oh no, that was like, the main thing, I guess. But I do believe it was on Halloween when Adam was giving his presentation on vampires it made me realize that you guys were vampires."

"How on earth did his presentation make you come to that realization?" Alice asks outrageously, "None of what he said was true about vampires,"

"Well," I scratch my right eye and flinch since I had forgotten that my eye was bruise; Edward hands me a bag of ice, "where did you get this from?" I ask.

"The ice machine..."

"Oh...thank you, anyway it was actually after the presentation when he said the word 'bloodsuckers' and that made me realize and it's because Christian mumbled that under his breath when Alice returned the ID tags to me. Christian also kinda growled like a dog. And is Christian and Jacob Black werewolves? Because like, he hates you guys and you all seem to kind of dislike him, his body temperature is extremely high while all of yours is really low. Also it was kind of obvious since you're never in school on sunny days, you are all beautifully perfect, perfect pale skin, the same changing color eyes, the way you never eat at school, how Fabio was like in love with you guys, how Jorgette hated you and Christian, and more recently how Edward stopped that truck and saved me," I ramble breathlessly; Alice giggles and Jasper smiles.

"So what are we going to do about her?" Rosalie asks getting impatient.

"Oh and I'm not gunna tell anyone, not even Emily. No one needs to know. I mean, this is selfish but I've grown attached to all of you. Also it's not like you...prey on humans. Because if you did what other reason would you have while being in the woods?" I indicate my question to Edward. "And what would be the point in trying to pass off as humans if you just kill them?" I ask my other question with a yawn.

"I think we should get going now and deliberate as a family," Carlisle says, "Samantha get some rest, and I will be back in the morning to check on your condition," he says with a smile while gesturing his family out of the hospital room. I watch Edward curiously as he just stands in place leaning on the metallic end bar of the bed with his hands; he stares gently back at me. "Edward," Dr. Cullen places a hand on his son's shoulder,

"Alice knows my views on the subject," he says without breaking his gaze from me but with a twitch of a smile.

"Aw that's so not fair that Edward gets to stay and I don't, I befriended her first!" Alice complains while hugging me.

"You're staying?" I ask just as Alice shuts the door. I possessed an odd sensation in my stomach as now I am very well aware that Edward and I were alone, completely alone together. Another thing that added to this sensation in my stomach and the heavy beats of my heart was that Edward seemed different; as if the wall he built between us was suddenly no longer there.

"Yes," he says, nearly a whisper, with a dazzling crooked smile.

"So does that mean you don't hate me?" Edward's eyebrows come together in frustration.

"No, I don't hate you, I never did, I feel quite the opposite actually," Edward comes and takes the chair and places it quietly next to the bed I was in.

"Could have fooled me," I purse my lips together and arch an eyebrow which only makes him sigh out a laugh but his eyes still looked troubled. "How come you..._appeared_ to hate me, or strongly dislike, whatever," Edward closes his eyes and sighs before looking at me again.

"You need to understand what I am in order to understand my previous actions towards you,"

"You're a vampire,"

"Don't say it as if it is nothing, Samantha!" Edward raises his voice angrily at me.

"How would you like me to say it then, Edward? Would you like me to say it in a small frightened voice?" I raise my voice back at him. "I am not afraid of you or the rest of your family. So if I am not afraid I'm not going to act afraid!" I shake my head at him. Underneath my sudden...I wouldn't call it anger towards Edward, but my sudden sternness; I was very pleased that I was seeing who the real Edward Cullen was.

"You are not afraid." he states in a menacing manner. "You are not afraid that your overly powerful and unique aroma might crack my self control and before you would even realize I would be drinking the delicious blood from your neck and you would be dead," he states again, leaning closer to my face while ever so slightly showing his perfect teeth. That's not a bad way to go actually, but I dare not say this out loud to Edward, it would upset him more than he is now. But all I do is shrug my shoulders and look at the wall in front of me.

"Death isn't a stranger to me." Boy am I a good conversation killer.

"Edward, what did you mean by my 'overly powerful and unique aroma'?" I lean back on the pillows more and look to his face contorted in with his own thoughts. He finally comes back to the reality of the hospital and he leans back in his chain, his expression becomes calmer.

"Humans have different scents, flavors if you will," the corner of my mouth twitches into a half, amused smile, and Edward notices it but he continues, "some scents are sweet, others are more sour, some are dull while others are more...vibrant. Your natural perfume is like nothing I have ever smelled before in all my years of living. You see, whenever I smell a delightful smell of blood, my throat burns for me to quench the thirst and it is extremely painful, but we are capable of managing it; to a certain degree," he explains while idly twiddling with the edge of the blanket that covered me. "That night in the forest my brothers and I were hunting, and while we hunt, we turn ourselves over to our senses and instincts as vampires. I had caught wind of your marvelous scent and it attracted me to you. If it wasn't for Alice and Carlisle, you would have been..."

"Dead." So it Alice and Carlisle were the white blurs that stopped Edward from killing me.

"Yes, dead...I've been wanting to apologize for that incident for some time now..."

"Why?" I ask him. He looks at me as if I had just asked a question that had the world's most obvious answer. "There's no reason for you to apologize. It was an accident and as you said your instincts and senses had control over you, it was just natural. It's not as if you were like, oh look there's Samantha Hunter, I am going to kill her for the sport of it. You were...feeding," I chuckle quietly. Edward shakes his head dismissing my laughter,

"But I could have killed you. Samantha you could have died,"

"I could have, rather I should have died many times before this, and I should have died when that truck was coming my way but I didn't. Edward, there's something about me that you should know: I am a magnet for death. Death follows me where ever I go and affects the people I love. I've been waiting for Death to finally take me ever since I was seven..." The Cullen Vampire is silent while starring at me with curious eyes.

"What do-"

"It's a story for another time," I quickly wave off his words, "Tell me, what do I smell like?" I ask completely intrigued with this question of mine. I wanted to get in as many questions as I possibly could because my eye lids were beginning to feel heavy. Edward sighs and closes his eyes.

"Do you really want to know?" He asks with a defeated attitude.

"If I didn't I wouldn't have asked," I smile playfully at him causing him to sigh again but this time with a small smile of his own. Edward closes his eyes again and inhales (most likely my scent) deeply, before opening them again.

"You have a very peculiar scent. Your blood smells so sweet yet spicy; quite a delicious combination. It also smells, like something new, new to this place, very exotic. Your blood even has a feminine quality to it,"

"...'feminine quality'?" I repeat not understanding what he meant.

"Mm-hm, that night it the forest, the wind had barely carried your aroma to me, I must have been a few miles away and I could just tell that you were a female,"

"Oh, I see,"

"Not only does your blood have a feminine quality, it also has a very...unusual, amount of, sensuality in the scent,"

"Ah," I wasn't quite sure on what to say after that. It made my heart pleasantly nervous but it made my stomach soar uncomfortably with butterflies. "So uh, do I smell like that to everyone, well all vampires that is,"

"Relatively, yes. Only, your scent is most potent to me, it...affects me more than the others,"

"So, being around me...is causing you pain?" My voice wavered ever so slightly, which, if I was with anyone but Edward, would have gone unnoticed. "You know since you said that your throat begins to burn..." I look to the wall that is in front of me. I didn't want Edward to be in pain, the thought, well the thought of Edward in pain killed me inside a little. I didn't understand why I was feeling this way either. Nothing was making sense to me anymore.

"No," he whispers and I can hear the smile in his voice, I close my eyes and turn to him with a small smile of my own.

Edward places a cold hand on my own warm one; the cool sensation was such a feather touch I barely felt it. "Liar," I whisper right back to him looking into his impossibly golden eyes. His smile widens crookedly and he laughs; it sounded as light as air to me.

"Only half," seeing him like this made me giggle. "It causes me some physical pain, yes, but it also gives me pleasure, it's…difficult to explain." He says, never breaking eye contact with me.

"Oh, before I forget, how did you, Alice and Emmett know that Emily and I were in trouble?" I ask while yawning.

"That's a story for another day," he smiles.

"So there will be other days…" I say giving him a tired but stern eye. The youngest Cullen son cocks his head to the side but then realizations spreads on his facial expression.

"Yes, Samantha," he chuckles, "there will be, now gets some rest, you need it,"

"But I wanna ask more questions," I can't help but whine slightly even though I did actually want to go to sleep. Edward smiles and watches me settle into the hospital bed.

"Tomorrow, Samantha, tomorrow," I can't help but smile and close my eyes. "Sweet dreams," he whispers.


	11. Chapter 11

WOOWWW definately my longest chapter yet. 11,332 words! This is 21 1/2 pages on Word. So, i am so very terribly sorry for the long wait, i hope this chapter makes up for it. Its like an emotional rollarcoaster. So i was planning on Samantha decideing to kind of keep her relationships with the Cullen Family platonic and then go on from there...but to be honest i didnt want to have to write that _ i really like this chapter, there is SO much in here rofl. So here i am, i just finished it at 4 am and i am posting NOW.

some clarifacations: i read through my previous chapters and saw some inconsistancies that i am too damn lazy to change=

1) Emily and Scott's parents are named KAREN and KEVIN STEVENSON. not Katherine

2) Darleen (Emily and Scott's Aunt), Darleen's and her family's last name is MCKELLAR not Kelly

my bad ^_^'

reveiw please????? thanxxxxxxxx

* * *

I wake up with a groan. Everything felt so wrong, just so incredibly wrong. My nose feels like it weighs ten pounds, my body and limbs feel awkward while my forehead feels as though it is splitting. My throat is burning and the driest I have ever felt it, not to mention my eyes feel heavy and even gooey.

"How are you feeling Samantha?" I hear the voice of Dr. Cullen. I yawn but then immediately stop after an awful pain in my side. Oh, right, fractured ribs, not good for yawning. I open my eyes to see more people (and vampires) than I had anticipated.

"I've been…" I can barely hear my voice. "I've…" I try to clear my throat a couple of times. "I've been…" Then I cough a few times which sent pain on my side and made my head pound and throat burn. "I've been better," I barely whisper in a raspy voice. Ugh…so not cool. I look around the small room to see Darleen, Ron, Emily, Scott, Edward and Alice. My eyes naturally go to Edward's nearly translucent face to see a contradictory of emotions displayed in his golden eyes.

"Dr. Cullen, is that a symptom of the surgery? Why is her voice like that? Why does she look so tired?" Darleen rushes to my side and feels my forehead, "why is she so warm? She is boiling!" Surgery? I look to her then snap my head to Carlisle.

"Who had surgery?" I ask; even though my voice is quiet I can hear the panic in it.

"No, it's not from the surgery;" Carlisle addresses Darleen while he touches my face and inspects my throat by applying pressure here and there making me flinch uncomfortably because it hurt; but on the plus side, his frozen body temperature eased my unusual warmth. "I suspected that this would happen. During the attack, it was raining and she was wearing merely a sweatshirt, so she's just gotten sick," he says while walking to the foot of the bed, picking up the clipboard and writing some things down on it.

"Who had surgery?" I ask again. My eyes flicker to Ron who mouths the word 'you' while pointing at me, then crossing his arms again. Me? When did I have surgery…and on what?

"Just sick? Does she have the flu or pneumonia or something like that? I mean, look at her, she looks like an absolute mess!" Thanks, "I have several children of my own, doctor and I have been through many sicknesses in my home, but I have never seen someone look this bad from just being, sick!" she stands up and walks next to Carlisle while all eyes follow her. "Please, don't take this for me telling you how to do your job, but there must be something more to this," she justifies herself with her brows together in concern.

"I'm afraid not," Carlisle says looking at her with nothing but a perfect gentlemen's smile. "It is just the common cold, though the pain medication that she is on is most likely enhancing the illness mildly. I'll prescribe her some cold antibiotics, but that's about all I can do for it. She even said so herself when the nurse was gathering Samantha's medical history, that when she does get sick, she 'gets it bad'." He quotes what I had told the nurse.

"What did I have surgery on?" I ask; talking was murdering my throat.

"The ribs that you had originally fractured," Carlisle finally speaks to me directly, "during the night you started coughing so severely that it disrupted one of them and it broke completely. There was a piece that was dangerously close to your lung that could have punctured it if we hadn't operated."

"How come Samantha doesn't know that she had an operation?" Emily asks.

"That's because of the medication she was put on to help her sleep through the night. Apparently, the amount the nurse gave her, which was the standard amount, completely knocked out Samantha for an entire surgery," Carlisle chuckles looking at me, and I just shrug my shoulders; not my fault I'm susceptible to sedative medicines. A question arose in my mind, but instead I ask Edward so that I wouldn't have to deal with the troubles of my throat. _When can I leave the hospital?_ Edward's eyes lock onto mine for a mere moment before he looks to Alice, so I do the same. Her eyes are blank but then suddenly she smiles and looks to me; Edward has a small smile of his own on his perfect lips that was a smile of satisfaction.

"So when can Samantha leave the hospital?" Alice asks while trying to hide her excitement.

"I would say tomorrow. She shouldn't go to school because of her cold and her ribs need more time to heal," Carlisle explains. I look to Darleen and see a worried look on her face.

"So…someone would have to stay home with her and look after her correct?" she asks and Carlisle nods. "Ooh, I think we might have a problem. Ron can't take off from work at all for the next month," to this day, I still haven't found out what Ron does for a living. Then again, I haven't asked, but I'll find out one day, "and I'm going away the day after tomorrow," she is going to a city in Washington for a convention; Darleen is a therapist of some kind. Once again, I never really paid attention to the details of what she does for a living but one day I'll find out, "and I don't want my little Bethany to get sick, oh and the twins…" she looks to Ron but then she looks back to me, "Oh but sweetie don't think I'm favoring my own children over you, that's not it at all!" I shrug my shoulders in understanding.

"I have a suggestion," Alice says as every head turns to look at her small petite form, "Samantha can stay with us. I mean, Carlisle's her doctor and is right there if she needs any medical attention and Esme is a stay at home mom; not to mention that she also knows some medical stuff, since you know, being married to a doctor," she smiles charismatically toward my guardians.

"Um…" Darleen looks to her husband for some consolidation, "What do you think Ron?"

"It's up to her," Indicating to me, "She's old enough to make her own decisions,"

"I have no problem with it," I muster out. I really didn't have a choice in the matter anyway, I mean, yes, it was my choice if I should stay at the Cullen's home, but if I said no, Alice would have killed me. Still, Darleen didn't look at ease with the decision and it seemed as though she did not want me at the Cullen's house; I could tell by the frantic expression in her eyes.

"Are you sure?" She asks me, "Is it OK with your wife?" She asks Carlisle.

"Yes, she'll have no problem with caring for Samantha,"

"And between Edward and I, we can get Samantha's homework and she'll be able to copy our notes for school. We will make sure she doesn't fall behind," Alice contributes with another charming smile.

"Well," Darleen says perturbed with the decision, but eventually she sighs, "I guess it's alright,"

"OK good!" Alice jumps up with pure ecstasy, "Edward and I can come and pick up her stuff at your house, then bring it back to our home, how does that sound? Emily should decide what Samantha would want since she knows her best," the pixie like vampire adds fluently after glancing over at the artificially tan blonde who shrugs in compliance. "Good, so we will come by tomorrow then, after school?"

"We can drive you home from school so that your mother," Edward smiles adoringly at Darleen making a faint blush arise from ear to ear, "won't have to exert herself," Edward then smiles at Emily. It wasn't the same type of smile that he gave Darleen, it was far too…intimate for my likings; and to which she responded to with one of her well known flirting cat smirk. I close my eyes and sigh once my head begins to pound and my stomach sloshes in annoyance; jealousy is not one of my favorite emotions to experience. I push aside the feeling when Carlisle requests that everyone leave me to my rest which I was so desperately in need of.

----

"Is the soup alright for you?" Esme asks me as I taste her homemade chicken noodle soup. I had burned my tongue slightly but it didn't bother me because of the superb chicken-y goodness that soothed my throat as I swallowed it. While nodding my head I compliment her on it. I had no idea that vampires could cook so well. Esme smiles so compassionately, it made my stomach uneasy; I didn't understand why she was so happy taking care of me and not to mention I really dislike…no I really hate being waited on hand and foot, I feel so embarrassed. The beautiful caramel brown haired mother wisps away, no longer upholding the façade of being a human, and goes off to do some meaningless cleaning since her home is immaculately sanitary.

I had gotten visited by Darleen before she went off to Washington and I'm assuming she was still a little uncomfortable with my current living arrangements but she settled with it nonetheless. Emily came the first day with Edward and Alice after school so that she could spend more time with Edward, who had to drive her home as well; I don't even need to be able to read minds to know what game she was playing. Once again, that unpleasant emotion of envy overtook me when she would stand too close to him with those cursed flirty chocolate brown eyes that are always so amazingly painted with sparkling dust. As usual, the pounding headache and grinding stomach pains initiate but I push aside the ugly sensation by closing my eyes to the cause of my jealousy, sighing out the growing fire within me, then opening my eyes to focus on something else, and in this case, Alice and Jasper.

The second day Scott and Stephanie came to visit me, which surprised me greatly and severely annoyed Rosalie. Stephanie was so cute the way she blushed in front of Edward and was so embarrassed. I had thought something that day that kind of startled me, _Looks like I have another person to compete with for Edward. _That thought distracted me the rest of the time that I was awake and even in my sleep, which worried me a lot. While living here, I discovered many things about the Cullens' history, much to Rosalie's dismay.

Edward Cullen can hear thoughts/see images in people's mind whatever you want to call it with the exception of me (and his ex-girlfriend Isabella "Bella" Swan, thank you Emmett for being a blabber mouth). With me, he can only hear mumbles of whatever I am thinking and he can sense the emotion accurately, sometimes. Also, the day that Alice returned Fabio's ID tags to me, on Halloween, when Edward smirked like he knew something he shouldn't, well apparently Edward can properly hear and see my thoughts when I am sleeping and dreaming; I was so humiliated when he told me and naturally he found it amusing.

Alice Cullen can see into the future, but as she and Edward explained to me, the visions were always uncertain when about people, since they are based on the decisions that the particular person makes; her visions are subjective. Alice told me about some of the visions she's had involving me and how she knew we would be the best of friends; I enjoyed that thoroughly. She also mentioned how her visions are clearest when involving vampires, then slightly blurrier with humans, then the blurriest when animals; with werewolves, she can't see anything. The small vampire made an effort to point out how when she has visions of me, they are the clearest she has ever seen when concerning a human; I was sure to make a mental note of that.

Carlisle Cullen has no special ability, but he has such an amazing amount of control that enables him to work at a hospital where blood is everywhere. It also allows him to turn people into vampires. Edward's told me how he turned him, Esme, and Rosalie all into what they are today and that they were all in life or death situations. With me being the morbid little fool that I am, asked them if it hurt and what it was like. Edward didn't want to tell me, but Emmett offered it up with such gusto that it made me laugh despite how detailed he described the pain. Watching Carlisle and Edward interact made me appreciate the bond that they have formed over the (many) years they've spent together. The doctor is so intelligent and has an interesting sense of humor.

Esme Cullen is so impossibly kind and compassionate it breaks my heart, but in a good way, if that's possible. She, along with Emmett, is a bit of a blabber mouth. She was how I found out about Bella, but then Edward reluctantly filled me in on his past love; and yet again, jealousy came through to my head and stomach, but I pushed the silly emotion away. I can see that she truly does enjoy serving me and aiding to me, much to my apprehension. However, I disregard my uneasiness with being so pampered by her, since she seems so happy to be able to finally be able to take care of someone. Edward informed me that even though they are vampires, it doesn't mean that they lose their human emotions and (mental) needs. I remember my face becoming flushed when he told me that.

Emmett Cullen…well he and I get along swimmingly. I really can't get enough of him, he is so funny and we have so many heated discussions about sports and just stupid things in general that it usually ends in Jasper having to cool us down or Edward stepping in the settle things down since I'd end up having a huge coughing fit. He doesn't have any special abilities like some of his siblings but he is the strongest out of them all.

Rosalie Hale pretty much stays away from and continues to glare at me; Edward advises me to just ignore her, the way he does, but that doesn't sit well with me. I understand why she…well hates me. With what happened between Bella and Edward, and with some werewolf interaction involved (Jacob), the whole family had to move and they could have been exposed; so I understand completely why she's acting this way and I respect it.

Jasper Hale is interesting. We talk, but only when Alice is there as well, which I don't take any offense to. Edward's told me that he is the newest "vegetarian" vampire to the family so he struggles more than the rest of them. Jasper has the gift of being able to sense and control people's emotions; hence my hot and cold feelings the first day of volleyball with Emmett and Jasper.

Yesterday is when I found out about Bella; Edward told me everything about her and everything that happened because of her,

"_And that's…everything," he sighs. I didn't want him to tell me that, but he offered it to me nonetheless. I really can't comprehend why he feels the need to inform me of his past girlfriend, I really don't. My eyes are closed and head tilted down as we sit together on the couch. I feel his eyes watching me vigilantly. I take his hand with my free left hand and place it on my cheek, the coolness immediately calming down my nerves and settling my stomach; I hold his hand in place as my thoughts thrash recklessly around in my mind and my heart flutters rapidly in contradiction._

"_Edward," I sigh his name,_

"_I know I'm rushing things on you right now, but, it's profoundly frustrating how I don't know how you feel,"_

"_Edward,"_

"_And it is even more maddening to know that there are other men that are besotted with you and you actually give them the time of day, the same way you do with me," At that I look at him with an eyebrow raised._

"_Other men are 'besotted' with me?" I find this hard to believe, who would be 'besotted' with me? The beautiful man before me tilts his head,_

"_Are you seriously asking me that?"_

"_Yes, I suppose I am,"_

"_Justin Parker, Spencer Whitman, Anthony Miller, Adam Zinger…"_

"_OK, OK, I don't need to hear anything else!" I shake my head, my face getting heated even though Edward's hand was on my cheek. "Edward, why would you tell me that? I really hate when there is attention on me, at least before I didn't know about it, but now I'm going to be so very conscious about it," I fret._

"_I'm, not sure," I look up to see Edward no longer watching me, but to be staring off somewhere else with a troubled expression in his eyes. I move his hand away from my cheek, swing my legs over his lap and lean my face into his bared neck; he, with his amazing strength, adjusts me into a more comfortable position while wrapping a blanket around my shoulders (being careful not to move my right arm which is in a sling so that I do not reinjure my ribs) and keeping his arms around me. "You feel warmer than before," he whispers into my hair making my stomach flip pleasantly. I don't know how this happened, or when I became comfortable enough with Edward to get this close to him, but it did even so._

"_Talking about things like this can do that to me," my words are muffled by his pale neck._

"_I'm sorry," _

"_It's fine," I say. After a long pause I continue, "You're afraid aren't you?"_

"_Afraid of what?" _

"_Afraid of losing me to someone else," I can feel sleep creeping its way to my eyes as Edward chuckles, his movements barely jostling me._

"_In order for one to lose something, one must have that something," The urge to roll my eyes was strong, but not strong enough for me to put in the effort to do so._

"_Edward," I inhale his name as well as his amazing cool scent._

"_Samantha," I can hear the smile in his lovely voice. He was baiting me and I gave in, which surprisingly, I am not ashamed of myself for doing so. _

"_I…I guess…Ever since…you…I mean," I give up trying to explain my feelings, which is something I have never been good with expressing to boys, not that there were many boys that I wanted to confess to anyway, but still. I knew exactly how I felt for Edward Cullen, it's hard for me to believe, but I love him. My whole body feels this way for this person and it isn't just, love, I am in love with him, I want to always be around him, and I feel so incredibly happy when I am. But my brain doesn't believe it because we haven't been on a typical "date" and the way things started off between us wasn't exactly ideal, not to mention, I've fallen in love with someone so perfect that my mind is expecting something to go wrong AND the most important factor is that I have fallen in love so quickly! I never let myself fall in love with anyone really, so my head is just confused by how Edward makes me feel. My mind and heart are not on the same page; so since my brain controls my mouth, my heart can't express how it feels adequately._

_Edward kisses the top of my head, making my tense body relax immediately. "I think you should sleep,"_

"_I agree,"_

I have been thinking a lot since that conversation between us and in order for Edward and I to work…I think I have to talk Rosalie, of all people. The five days that I have been residing in the Cullen household, I've done pretty much nothing but think since that is all I've been able to do. I have got to talk to Rosalie alone with no one else to interfere because I need to know why she is so against Edward and I, something that she has made exceptionally clear to each person. Once the blonde beauty leaves the room, everyone tells me to ignore her, just don't listen, but that does not sit well with me. I can't just ignore one person in a family, especially in a family like this, one that is so closely knit and with a very deep secret to keep, it is impossible to me.

I have a hunch that her preconceptions have something to do with Bella and her own past as a human. I highly doubt that Rosalie Hale is as shallow as her family makes her out to be, even if it is just in humor. Rosalie, Emmett, and Jasper are seniors at the Haines High School so they all get early dismissal, so when they get home I am going to seize the moment; or so I hope for I might fall asleep and wake long after their return.

----

I jump awake when I hear Emmett's booming laughter coming from the driveway. The jump made me cringe because of the position I had fallen asleep in wasn't exactly ideal for a person with two broken ribs. While sitting up and groaning, Jasper opens the front door and smiles at me. "This is a surprise, usually you're sleeping when we get home," I just shrug and continue rubbing my right side gently. The vampire before me tilts his head and his golden brown eyes narrow slightly, "What's wrong Samantha?" he asks, "you seem nervous," to which I grimly smile and reply,

"Just a bit," But before he could ask why, Rosalie and Emmett walk into their home as well as Esme emerging from the kitchen.

"Heyyyyy there Samantha, you free loader you," Emmett jests as his blonde mate makes her way to the staircase,

"Rosalie," I call to her with a tiny bit of desperation in my voice which I hadn't anticipated, "I was wondering if I could talk to you?" Obviously, no one was expecting me to ask this since everyone was looking at me with wide eyes. Rosalie is the first to recover.

"Sure," she says with a breezy voice, "come upstairs to my room," the shimmering blonde continues with a bit of a clipped tone whilst walking up the staircase.

"Rose," Emmett goes to protest but I interrupt him,

"Oh shut up Emmett," I say with a smile and getting up, "I am sick and have two broken ribs, I'm not paralyzed," he just shrugs, no skin off his back.

It didn't surprise me that there was no bed in Rosalie's room for I wasn't expecting there to be one in a place where no one sleeps, however I still felt the room odd without one. I find Rosalie inspecting her flawless skin while sitting at her make-up desk/dresser I suppose. I honestly have no idea what that piece of furniture is called, but I love them nonetheless, hers specifically is very old fashion looking, which is kind of to be expected. "Alright, have a seat over there," she indicates to a very French looking type of sofa chair; I do so. "What do you want to talk to me about?" she turns in her seat and faces me with a bored expression. I take a deep breath.

"Why are you so against Edward and I?" I ask respectfully.

"I thought you would have been able to figure it out," she crosses her arms and legs so elegantly.

"Well, I know why, based off of what your siblings tell me and from what I've assumed, but I want to hear from you, exactly why or what reason you have. Edward keeps advising me to just ignore you, but I can't do that, it doesn't feel right or fair. It's weird, coming from a person with multiple families and none my own, but I somehow have very strong family values, so…I…I can't just ignore you…" Rosalie sits before me, her expression has softened slightly, after a long silence she speaks.

"I appreciate you coming to me instead of overlooking the way I feel on the current situation, but it doesn't change how I view things," I nod my head, "Samantha, you are already in deep with this family and I am not a fool to try and change that. Alice absolutely adores you, Edward is in love with you," naturally a faint blush crosses my cheeks, "Emmett already sees you as another sister and that makes him happy," she says with a distant look in her eyes, but I saw that the thought of Emmett being happy, she was fond of it, "Jasper can't get enough of your happy aura, Esme enjoys taking care of your human needs, and Carlisle," she chuckles, "finds you fascinating." It made me smile to see her finally smile from her heart, even if the heart is frozen in time, it doesn't mean that it still can't feel. "If you were to become romantically involved with Edward, there would be no turning back,"

"You mean I would get in too deep…"

"Yes. Samantha…" she pauses, pursing her lips together taking a moment to phrase something appropriately, "You've, really given me no reason not to like you, and honestly I really don't hate you. But I feel like I am the only one thinking clearly here, maybe it's your aroma that is clouding their judgment, I don't know; all I am trying to do is protect our secret and sometimes I feel as though everyone, including you, forget that we are vampires." I had to admit, I've thoughtlessly have, not exactly forgotten, but took for granted the fact that the Cullen family practices vegetarian dieting.

"I'm assuming that these feelings are based off of Edward's past relationship with Bella, at least partly," I dare say. Rosalie's face hardens.

"You assume correctly." Another long silence invaded the room, allowing me to mull her words over along with things Edward has told me. Inhaling greatly, I make my decision known to her.

"I won't get 'romantically involved' with Edward, Rosalie," I say while sitting up a little taller.

"Alright…good,"

---

"Samantha, wake up! Damn it Samantha, wake up right now!" someone violently shakes me awake.

"Alice stop shaking her like that," I hear Edward's melodic voice.

"What do you want with my life, Alice!?!" I complain as she finally stops the shaking and my eyes open to see a distressed pixie like vampire. Next to me I see a solemn Edward, but his smallest sister pulls my attention from him back to her.

"Why are you deserting me?!" she shrills outrageously.

"What on earth are you talking about?" I mumble while rubbing the sleep from my eyes.

"You made a decision that is going to put A LOT of distance between us! What happened?! Why are you making these irrational decisions?!"

"Alice, leave Samantha alone," Edward's voice was distant. Alice whips around and glares at him.

"Fine! Whatever!" she says in a strident voice as she runs up the staircase. I watch as Edward sits on one of the sofas, his elbow resting on the arm of the chair while his hand is covering his perfect mouth. I'm sure that his thoughts were as cluttered as mine at the moment. He obviously saw what Alice saw. I wonder what he could be thinking. Is he feeling rejected? Oh I hope he doesn't feel that way since I'm not rejecting him…entirely. It's for the best anyway, he should know that, especially since every conflicting thought that he felt for Bella is what I am trying to protect him from feeling again, so he should understand where I am coming from.

But what if he's fine with it? Well isn't that what I want? I want to keep any relationships that I have with the Cullens to be platonic from here on out. That way, no one can suspect anything and my vampire friends will be safe. Ugh! Things just feel so out of control right now! Why am I feeling like this?

"Your mind is unusually loud and static-y today," Edward mummers lowly while still looking away, "It reminds of that day in chemistry when you nearly started to cry in the middle of class," I remember that day,

_Edward sits in his seat and scoots himself as far away from me as possible. I look at him as his hard black eyes stare forward. He was still as tense as ever and he still hated me. I sigh and prop my chin on my hand as I look forward as well, but with bored eyes. The small happy high from gym has depleted and Edward's cold shoulder to me has brought my depression back. I'm no longer angry with him, it just took up too much energy and I got so tired of it. Also, well because I didn't like hating him, it made me feel uneasy. That's most likely because I was actually very fond of him and I didn't want to hate him. I wanted to talk to him but I honestly don't think that, that will ever happen._

_It gets harder to breathe, I wanted to cry. Just suddenly in this classroom, sitting next to Edward Cullen, I wanted to cry forever. It's like a sudden realization of how everyone around me dies. I lose everyone I love. I am such a death magnet. Why does this happen? I can't understand why everyone I care about needs to suffer? Why can't I just be the one to suffer? Is everyone that is dear to me suffering for the sins I've made? If so, why can't I just be the one who suffers and not anyone else? Would all of this pain for my family end if I was no longer in existence? Is it really too much to ask the universe for that no one I love suffer any longer? Is it too much to ask for all of the pain my friends suffer and be focused on me? Is that really too much?!_

_I sob tearlessly for a minute. I couldn't find my breath. I just wanted everyone's pain to stop. Ashley's mother pops in my head. I should have done something to stop Ashley._

_Emily and Scott's parents emerge next. If I didn't have soccer practice, if I didn't go, they wouldn't be dead because of the car crash, it would have never happened and Emily and Scott wouldn't be suffering._

_Then I see my parents…_

_I gasp again; the lump in my throat makes it harder to breathe. I grip the side of the table as my eyes begin to sting._

_Why did they die? What did I do at 7 years old to bring death upon them? I remember the thieves, they, they just came to steal, and kill my parents. But, but I must have done something wrong. When Ashley killed herself it was because I left her, it was my fault! When Katherine and Kevin were killed it was because I was adopted by them and enrolled onto the soccer team and they had to drive me to and from practice, see?! My fault again! Everyone suffers because of something __I __did! But…but what did I do when mom and dad were murdered!?!?_

_I dig my nails into the black table. My breathing is irregular. I feel like I am completely loosing my mind! What did I do to make my parents die?! Death only happens because of something I did! That's the pattern! Don't you see the pattern?! Why…but…why did they die!!? Why were they murdered?!? WHAT DID I DO!?_

_Edward clears his throat and my head snaps to him. I don't know what expression I had on my face, but his vicious glare turned to a look filled with guilt, sorrow, anguish, pain, pity, distress, agony…the list could go on. We just stared at each other like that for I don't know how long. Eventually I felt my body regain its composure and I sit back in my chair, completely out of breath. I grab my head and groan quietly; an unwelcomed headache was coming rather swiftly. I survey the room; no one seemed to notice my little meltdown, aside from Edward. My eyes wearily lock onto his flawless facial features; it looked as though he wanted to say something, but he was unsure. He looks to me. My blue eyes lock with his black ones. Wait…_

_I move my hands from my hair to my lap as a shear dark layer of hair from my head cascades in front of my view. I know it's been two weeks since I last saw Edward, so I __may be mistaken__, but I vividly remember his eyes being a gorgeous gold color. And just like that, my moment of weakness was forgotten because a beautiful distraction absorbed my attention._

That was the day I had a near mental breakdown experience. I wonder, is that going to happen again? I just have an intuition that I am going to have a complete breakdown one of these days; and want to know what frightens me; I am looking forward to it. I actually desire to have this meltdown. Maybe it's what I need, maybe it's time for a change, I've always been the stable one for my loved ones, I have always been that rock; but now, now maybe I don't have to be that. That's how I feel when I am with Edward, I feel as though I don't have to take into consideration anyone else's feelings; and yet here I am, deciding to distance myself from him when clearly that is the exact opposite of what _I _want.

Man, how I do loathe myself at times. Why can't I just do something for me for once? Why can't I be a little selfish? Why can't I be more like Emily? All she does is look out for number one and she's always fine, unlike me, who looks out for every other number known to man and I always end up hurt

Who am I kidding though? I'm not wired the same way she is; I can't do something for myself because otherwise I feel guilty and just horrible. And to make matters worse, it's not like I have the good fortune to be ignorant of the way that I am; I know too well who I am as a person and I suffer because of it. I always have these debates in my mind that get me no where! Jeez, I am such a freak. I chuckle to myself, no wonder I am in love with a vampire that I want to stay away from, not because he could potentially kill me or because he has a whole clan of vampires who could also potentially kill me, but because I want to keep him from suffering and I want to make sure that his secret of being a vampire is protected. I am so messed up in the head.

"Samantha, for the love of all that is holy, _please_ tell me what is going on in that incredible mind of yours," I look into Edward's desperate eyes; I hadn't noticed him leaning forward in his seat or that he was calling my name.

"Sorry," I mumble, "I think it's best if any relationships that I have with you and your family, remains platonic from now on. I think it would be best, so that your family remains protected. Also, so that you don't have to worry about me, the way you worried about Bella, I could tell that you didn't even like to remember those feelings about having a human you love around constant danger because of what you are. It will be best if you don't have to worry about me since I am a 'fragile human'," I tell him with a monotonic voice.

"Is that what you want?" he asks simply. I could lie and say yes, but what would be the point? If I said yes he would be offended, but Edward being the perfect gentleman that he is, would never show that to me.

"No," I say lightly, "But it's what's best for you," Edward waits a long while before he speaks again.

"Rosalie is a bit sensitive when it comes to being a vampire. You see, none of us had a choice, we were dying and Carlisle…'saved' us, with the exception of Alice and Jasper, but neither of them had choices either. Rosalie wishes she could be human, she would trade anything to get that back. She wants her human experiences again, the one she wants the most involves the changing of a woman's body, which as vampires, our bodies are frozen in time," _Motherhood,_ I sigh in my mind, "Yes," Edward continues, "Bella wanted to become a vampire, so that we could spend all of eternity together. Rosalie saw that as a slap in the face,"

"That makes sense,"

"So I want to ask you this," I pick up my head and stare him in the eyes, "If we were to exceed our relationship from where it is now, would you want to be turned into a monster, like the rest of us, or would you be able to just live a long and happy life as a human with me?" I saw a sort of composed desperation in his eyes that broke my heart. He wanted the honest truth, and I was going to give him my sincere opinion. I didn't have to think things over, I've actually wondered about this myself over the past four days. I knew, from very detailed descriptions from dear Emmett, what it feels like to be a new born vampire and the pain the transformation instills, I was well aware of things.

"I…I don't feel negatively or positively about me being a vampire. I doubt I will be able to live with you as a human for the rest of my natural life. I mean, I'll be getting older and older and you'll be staying the same age; they say age doesn't matter, but to me it does. Not exactly the _number_ age…just the _physical_ agingpart on my behalf. I feel it'll just get awkward even though I doubt I would able to find someone and love them the same way that I love you, but I think we would be able to handle that situation in due time.

"In concerning, me becoming a vampire, I really have no burning desire to become one, like it's not on the top of my to do list," even though I don't have a 'to do list' for that matter, "but then again, if for some reason it was to happen, I won't a problem with becoming one. If I had to become a 'monster' for whatever reason, I would prefer it to be done the right way, me being in a life or death situation," Edward smiles and shakes his head,

"You would 'prefer it to be done the right way'; I will have to remember that," I just shrug my free shoulder. Edward stands up with a small smile upon his features and sits extremely close to me and wraps his cool arms around my body, hugging me closer to his own cold one. I didn't understand why he was doing this when moments ago I told him that I didn't want a relationship with him in this manner; not that I was resisting, oh no, I do love when I am in his arms. "That was a good answer Samantha," he whispers in my ear with a smug smile on his lips.

"What do you mean?" I was now absurdly confused.

"Rosalie is second guessing herself now," the pure joy in his voice was amazing, to say the least, but before I could reply, I hear Rosalie from the top of the staircase,

"Oh shut up Edward," I see her and the rest of the family minus Carlisle, who is still at the hospital working, come down from the upstairs.

"You seem confused yet happy, Samantha," Jasper smirks as he, with the rest of them, gather around and sit on the couches. Alice jumps to my other side and manages to wiggle her petite arms through Edward's larger ones, around my neck to hug me.

"You know what? I'm just gunna go with the flow right now and not even question anything. I think it'll just be easier that way," I sigh happily. _So Rosalie is…OK with…another Bella in the house? _Alice then suggests watching a movie to her siblings to which they all begin bantering on which movie to watch. Edward lowers his mouth to my left ear and whispers in a low and soft voice,

"Don't compare yourself to her. No, Rosalie would never be happy with another Bella in our existences, but she doesn't mind having an original Samantha with us."

"Well that's good, I'm glad," I snuggle my body closer to his body,

"So Samantha,"

"Hm?"

"You love me?" the smile in his voice was so clear that I blushed to which he chuckles, "You have a lovely blush,"

"Oh shush up," I mumble.

"Oi, how about the love birds over there be quiet, we are trying to watch a movie," Emmett says while putting his arm around Rosalie. Edward rolls his eyes and picks me up effortlessly. My eyes widen,

"What're you doing?!"

"We are going up to my room," he fluently glides up the staircase into his room and just like his sister's room, there was no bed; I really don't think I'll ever get used to that. Edward sets me to me feet, "I think we need to fix some things," he says, I turn to him,

"What do you mean?" he motions for me to sit on the seat in his room. He grabs a single chair and sits in it with a facial expression filled with deviancy; I'd be lying if it didn't worry me slightly.

"You need to tell me about you and your life, since you pretty much know everything about mine," he smirks crookedly, making me smile as well.

"Alrighty then, ask away,"

"When's your birthday?"

"February 14th,"

"You were born on Valentine's Day?" Edward asks with a softer and intrigued look.

"Yeap, extremely cliché, I know. I was born at 12:01 am on the dot. A lot of things happen on Valentine's Day for my family."

"Like what?"

"Well, my grandparents on my mom's side of the family got married on Valentine's Day, then my parents met on Valentine's Day, then they got married, on Valentine's Day, I was born, on Valentine's Day, Jorgette was actually born on Valentine's Day too, and she became a member of my family, on Valentine's Day," I list off the special occasions. Edward's expression, I could not help but laugh because I found it adorable, he was so interested.

"That's," he breathes out a chuckle, "absolutely amazing and endearing," I just nod with a smile planted on my lips, Edward's enthusiasm was addicting. "Tell me about your family members, all of them,"

"OK…I had a total of 6 blood related family members. Everyone in my family were all only children, both of my parents were only children, and all four of my grandparents were only children, so I had no relatives of any sorts. My grandparents on my dad's side were Harriet and Wolfgang Hunter. I never knew them; they died before I was born. My father and them never had an ideal parent-child relationship. I mean it wasn't like, horrible, just not amazing I guess. My mom's parents were named Lyonette Maelee Rye and Mortimer Rye. Mortimer died before I was born, but my Grandma Lyonette, I got to know. She married Mortimer when she was 12 years old while he was 10 years her senior and she had my mom when she was 15,"

"Those are both very French names, where were they from?"

"They lived in the village of Ève in the Oise département of northern France,"

"Ah, such a beautiful place," he comments.

"Yeah, you've been there?" I ask him.

"No, I have not, but Carlisle has, and I saw it from his memories,"

"That's cheating," I raise an eyebrow at him accusingly, "nonetheless, Ève is the most beautiful place I've ever been,"

"You've been to France?"

"Twice," I nod my head, "The first time I was five, I went with my mom and dad we went for my birthday so that I could actually meet my grandmother. That was the day that I met Jorgette, she was a gift from my grandma. It was winter when we went and the snow was so magnificent. I remember the brisk cold air and the snow was so lovely, it seemed more special than the snow in New York. It's silly, but I felt as though I was in a fairytale," I close my eyes and breathe in, imagining that same air from 11 years ago, "Then we make it to my grandma's house," I sigh happily at the memory still imagining the time I spent with her, "she lived on this huge hill and she had these vintage looking stone steps and railings that snaked all the way up to her house,

"Once we got up to the house I was completely breathless. Her home was very expensive and worth a fortune, but it didn't exactly look it, it was amazingly humble and quaint at the same time. And the view! You could see the whole world! It was the most marvelous sight I had ever seen and to this day I still feel that way, all of the hills were so gently covered in a blanket of sparkling white snow," I open my eyes and continue on with my descriptions, "When we went inside her home it was so beautiful, so clean and home-y and just comfortable. Then, I met my grandmother for the first time; she was a lot younger than I had anticipated, but it didn't matter much to me. I saw the resemblance that had been passed down to me; the signature blue eyes, the pale skin, the dark hair, and the name of course. Lyonette-Maelee has been in some way, passed down to all of the women in my mom's side of the family. My mother's name was Renee Lyonette-Maelee Rye-Hunter, my name is Samantha Lyonette-Maelee Hunter. My first name was given to me in memory of my dad's, Michael James Hunter, little sister that was born dead; his parents were going to name her Samantha,

"The moment that I laid my eyes on my grandma, it was just, love at first sight. We spent every moment together, we had such a connection so instantly," I laugh to myself, "It was so funny because my dad couldn't speak French but me and my mom could; so me, her, and my grandmother would speak French and my dad got so frustrated!" Edward and I both laugh,

"What did you get from your father?" the vampire before me asks. I 'hm' at him, not quite understanding what he meant, "What kind of traits did he pass down to you through genetics; your mother gave you your eyes, hair, and skin, what about your father?"

"Oh, my strength and personality; we had the same view on things, same reserved-slash-quiet demeanor, same ability to keep his emotions under control and the same protectiveness over the ones we love. My father was the rock of my family so I kind of adapted how I am from him,"

"What do you mean by strength?"

"Uh, I mean strength in any way possible I suppose. He taught me how to fight in the seven years that he was in my life. He had the strength to deal with things on his own, he had emotional strength and…he was a stone, he was the protector," I remember solemnly. I could feel my throat just barely begin to tighten at the nostalgic memory. "He was my Daddy," I say more to myself with a faint smile. "So," I take a breath and continue on, "after that time we spent with my grandma, me and her wrote letters to each other all the time, I still have them actually,"

"That's charming," I nod my head

"Two years had passed until my next visit to my grandma. This time it was just me and my mom that went; I don't remember why my dad didn't come with us, but whatever. My grandmother was a little sick, I thought it was just like the flu or something, but apparently it was much more than that. Three weeks after we left, she died. I was devastated. I've never felt more pain in my whole 16 years of living than that day. I had met this, this lively woman a mere two times, yet she meant so much to me. My dad was there for me, he just held me when I cried my eyes out," I chuckle, why, I am not quite sure, "But I wanted my mom to comfort me, since my grandmother was something that connected us even more than we already were, so I remember going to her bedroom and seeing her cry. This wasn't the first time I'd her cry, but, it was different from any other time.

"My mother was so lively, just like my grandma; she was always smiling, she was never afraid to show emotion, but what I saw that day frightened me. I had never seen my mother cry out of…_pain._ I've seen her cry out of sadness, happiness, anger, but never…never because she was in _pain._ I couldn't grasp the image I saw. I wanted to break down and run into her arms sobbing myself," I close my eyes again and tilt my head, "I remember so clearly the burn and tightness in my throat and my eyes were just beginning to get moist with tears and my stomach was clenched and then suddenly, I just stopped, all of that just went away. I watched my mom curled in a ball on her bed in the darkness of her room, her body shaking to the rhythms of her sobs. I crawled onto her bed and I moved her so that her head was resting in my lap and I just petted her hair for, I, I don't even know how long. My dad eventually came in and, he stood in the doorway for a long time; Jorgette stood by his side. He then came over and maneuvered me so that he was protecting me in his arms," I can feel my face contort at the memory that I hadn't thought of for so long, my throat was starting to tighten. "Jorgette snuggled her body so that it was pressing against my mother's body and her head was resting on my knee,

"His arms were so tight around me squeezing me into his strong chest, I remember him feeling so cold, he probably was outside with Jorgette since her fur was cold as well; I remember it was snowing that day, it was sad snowfall, not like the pleasant snow in France. I distinctly remember thinking, 'how can there be so much love and warmth coming from someone who feels so cold'?" My voice raises an octave as my eyes become warm with yet-to-be-fallen tears, "I had looked up, and in the dim light, I saw tears streaming from his dark brown eyes. That was the only time I would ever see my dad show that kind of emotion," I feel warm tears slide down from my eyes, "That was the first and last time that I would ever feel that, the four of us were truly connected on the same level as one family; physically, mentally, spiritually, emotionally…"

Edward delicately brushes the tears from my cheeks, his ice touch sent comforting shivers down my spine and back up when he sits beside me on the small sofa gathering me into his lap.

"No wonder why I like vampires," I muse with a smile on my lips; Edward chuckles soundlessly as he begins to rock me ever so gently. No wonder I fell in love with Edward so quickly, he reminds me of my dad on that night; you know, the whole Electra/Oedipus Complex? We sit like this for a good long time with an easy silence, until I decide I should finish my story; I don't like to not finish the things I've started. "My mom went back to France and dealt with the funeral. She came back two weeks later, then, two weeks after that…is when I became an orphan.

"In the middle of the night I remember my mother frantically waking me up and dragging me out of my bed and rushing us across the hallway to her room with Jorgette following behind. I had no idea what was going on but I heard a lot of cluttering and banging coming from down the staircase in my living room area. In her room she threw me into her vast, cluttered closet and sat me down. She said to me, 'Samantha, stay here, and whatever you do, do not say a word or make a sound,' then she threw a bunch of clothes on top of me and Jorgette so that we were completely covered. A gun shot from the downstairs was heard and my mother finishes covering me and shut the door. I heard her feet padding against the hardwood floor to her door and there was another gun shot that was much louder than the first and it made me jump and I remember my heart beat pounding so loud until…" I shut my eyes tight while imagining what I heard 9 years ago as a child, "…until I heard the thump, the thump of my mother's dead body hitting the floor. At that moment I swear my heart stopped beating and I stopped breathing even though my mind was still conscious.

"Jorgette and I stayed frozen where we were," my lip begins to shake uncontrollably but my voice remains steady, aside from the small rise in pitch here and there, "neither of us moved, neither of us maybe a single sound. We sat there for what felt like hours, listening to these two men rummage through my home, listening to them converse with each other and joke around while I sat there, not breathing and clinging to my dog with a vice grip. I could smell my mother's blood not more than two feet away from me. I wanted so badly to go to her, even though I knew she was dead," I swallow loudly but I can't hold back the tears any longer and I let them fall at their own will, "I wanted to run down the stairs and wrap myself in my father's arms even though I knew that they would never be able to hold me safe again,

"That's when I heard one of the men pound up the stairs; his footsteps on the hardwood kept getting louder and closer. I remember clearly the sound of his boots stepping over my mother's body. I could hear him searching through the room, the dressers, the draws, and then I heard him come to the closet where Jorgette and I were hiding," my heart begins to speed, just like that time in the closet. Edward gently place his hand over my heart and his arms cage me to his body; the pressure felt reassuring, "The man opened the closet door and stepped in, searching; he started to dig through the pile I was under, I could hear his ragged breathing…but then his partner called for him; apparently one of my neighbors called the police. They gathered the things they had stolen and left through the front door and closed it,

"I didn't move from the corner in the closet, I sat there while waiting for the police to come, I sat there while the first policeman came and inspected the house. I stayed in the closet while he called for backup, that someone was murdered. I just sat there hugging Jorgette while the house was filled with policemen, detectives, homicide personal, radios, walkie talkies, I sat there for hours until someone finally came to the closet and found me. Boy was that woman shocked when she found me underneath all of the clothes holding Jorgette. They got the paramedics to bring me out to the ambulance, but they couldn't get me to let go of Jorgette, she wouldn't let them either," I half heartedly smile. "Karen and Kevin came and stayed with me for the rest of…everything. Karen never left my side,"

"Who are Karen and Kevin?" Edward asks, barely above a whisper.

"They were my parent's best friends. My dad, Karen and Kevin knew each other since birth, then in the beginning of junior high, when my mom moved here with my grandparents, the four of them became the best of friends. They were so close of friends that they all went to the same college and even bought houses right next to each other. Karen and Kevin then had their first born, Scott, and then a few years later they had Emily, and a little more than a month later my mom gave birth to me. Since I had no other relatives to take me in, I was to be going to an orphanage, but Karen said that she would adopt me and she did. She took care of everything legal and she just took care of me.

"So, I moved in next door to live with my best friend Emily; we lived together from then on. I had become extremely protective of her and all of my other friends for that matter. I was always getting into fights," I smile slightly at the memories, "but they were always in self defense, I could never start a fight, I think it is physically impossible for me to throw the first punch. Some time passed and Kevin insisted that join a sport since I was so athletic and constantly in fights, even though I really wasn't in that many as he exaggerated. So I did, not really because I wanted to, but because I knew it would make him happy. He loved soccer but Emily was anything but the sports type, and Scott played Football, Wrestling, and Baseball, no time for soccer. In the end I joined, played for a month before the accident happened. Karen, Kevin and I were driving to my soccer practice when a giant truck smashed into the driver's side of our car, killing Karen instantly and Kevin was fatally injured and died sometime after his wife. I was fine aside from a sprained wrist, ankle and a bunch of scratches and bruises everywhere. This is when we came to Haines, Alaska to live with Emily and Scott's aunt and uncle. Then I had to go back to New York because one of my close friends committed suicide and people needed me there, then I came back and here we are today." I end with a sigh.

Edward and I sit in another comfortable silence; my eyelids were feeling heavy and ready to sleep, but my mind wasn't relatively there just yet. Towards the end of my story, I neglected the details, I just really didn't feel like telling them right now, maybe another day.

"You're quite the remarkable person, Samantha, you really are," His fingers find their way to my hair and they stroke through my dark locks. "You never cease to astound me," he whispers into my hair. I close my eyes and lean my head back on his shoulder,

"I like that," I mumble, making Edward chuckle as he continues stroking my hair, oh how I felt like pudding right now, a blob of lazy pudding.

"Like what, my dear?" he says; his words and voice just flows through my entire body and back again. It didn't seem odd to me at all that I just told him my darkest secrets, most of which Emily doesn't even know the details of, and I feel completely relaxed in his arms. I've underestimated how good it would feel to finally be able to tell someone all of my troubles; my mind felt the most at ease it has been in years.

"Your voice, your arms, your movements, your everything," I speak in a low lazy and most definitely tired tone. "You make my troubles go away,"

"I'm glad," he whispers, "You have no idea what that means to me, Samantha. To be the one to make your fears and pains disappear instead of cause them," I smile as he kisses the side of my head. "Do you want to go to sleep?" he asks.

"Mm, not yet, my body is tired but my mind isn't. I wanna watch a movie; I'll probably fall asleep to it,"

"Do you have any preference to which movie we watch?"

"Sleeping Beauty,"

"Sleeping Beauty?" He repeats while standing up and setting me on my feet.

"Yes, why?" I finally turn to him face to face. My heart started to beat harder than before; Edward held a true gentleman's beauty. His eyes had so many emotions, they were smoldering with a playfulness to them, they held nothing but love, but with a pinch of sadness in them. Edward gingerly tucks a few stray hairs behind my ear and simultaneously grazing his marble like thumb over my soft, warm cheek. His eyes go from an intense loving and longing stare to a more playful, mildly smug like gaze.

"I never took you to be one for liking movies like that," he smirks to which I respond with rolling my blue eyes.

"Sleeping Beauty is a classic and is my all time favorite movie, I know the lines by heart I've watched it so many times. I love the old Disney movies, the classic ones, I can't help it if I am an old school romantic at heart," I say breezily. Edward takes my left and leads me back to join the others.

"So you're old fashioned," he says and then looks back at me over his shoulder while walking down the stairs, "Like me," he smiles crookedly. All I am capable of doing back is smile. While down the stairs I see everyone with bored and sad eyes, as Jasper changes the DVD. _Did they all hear us up there?_ I mentally ask Edward as we sit on the couch next to Alice who wraps two blankets around me. "Yes," the bronze haired vampire smiles apologetically. I shrug my shoulder, I didn't mind really.

"You seem to be doing much better Samantha," Carlisle inquires to me, I nod my head. I am assuming he got home from the hospital when Edward and I were upstairs.

"I'm feeling much better actually. The only thing that hurts are my ribs, but it's not like they are really hurting, just kind of a nuisance," now it was his turn to nod,

"That's good. You should be able to go back to school then on Monday."

"Sounds good to me,"

Not even half way through the cartoon movie sighs angrily and rolls his eyes. "What's wrong?" I ask.

"Christian is coming here right now. He's within three miles of us," he says with disgusted annoyance; it made me laugh a little on the inside, because he wasn't truly angry, just annoyed.

"What does that mongrel want?" Rosalie hisses, "He's going to stink up the house," She complains.

"He's coming to make sure that we haven't turned Samantha into one of us," he rolls his eyes again then fixes them on the wide screen television.

"So I should play dumb to the fact that you're all vampires, right?" I state rather than ask.

"Yes," Edward says and Alice nods. Everyone, aside from Carlisle and Esme, was mildly agitated by Christian's uninvited visit; but no one was severely angered, I was glad for that.

A few minutes pass and then Edward slides his arm from around my shoulders, down my back and comfortably around my waist, shifting me closer to him. I look up at him with a knowing smirk as Carlisle stands up and goes to the front door just before it rings. "I'm just providing a clear message to your friend to whom you belong to," he smiles innocently with his eyebrows raised.

"Oh, and who do I belong to?" I ask semi-sarcastically. Edward lowers his forehead to the side of my head; I can feel his cool breath from his lips when he talks on my ear making me pleasantly shiver,

"You belong to me," he says in such a velvety voice, such a husky tone I've never heard from him before, a tone that is making me want to hear him speak like this to me again. I inhale sharply and bite my lower lip as my stomach goes mad. Edward knew exactly what he was doing; he played so dirty and he knew it too by that sexy/teasing look in his eyes.

"Sammy! You're alive!" Christian's rough voice boom obnoxiously. Edward laughs pure heartedly once he saw the face I made once the werewolf boy spoiled the mood, but I put on the nicest face I can muster for Christian (the face was a slightly annoyed one by the way).

"Hi Christian," I half smile at him until the look he gets on his face when he looks down at where Edward's hand was on me.

* * *

i dont mean to sound vain, but i think that this is my best chapter yet XD teheheheee


	12. AUTHOR'S NOTE

Hokay, this is my author's note:

I haven't written ANYTHING in like, forever. So, my sob story is, I've just had a lot on my plate in the real world. I'm taking two English classes which mean a lot of essays, and a lot of my other classes I've had to write essays for, been working on college essays, homework, I got a job! (finally) I work at a candy store and it is AWEESOOMMEEE!!! :D (you'll notice when I do update some new stories, they have a common bakery/candy store theme lol), working on getting my permit (ill be 18 in February and I STILL don't have my permit -_-) been figuring out my friends situation, I have no time to hang out with people which for some reason everybody want to hang out with me suddenly…? Roflmao, been having boy problems…well not problems, just all the boys just seem to want a piece of me!! :D OK, maybe not, but I do have a few admirers but I'm happy with being single, at the moment… and yeah, so…that's my sob story…

_Discontinuations:_

I am no longer continuing Regret/Regret II.

I just can't. I haven't been at all in tuned with Naruto as I used to be, the story has been somewhat completed in my head (somewhat) and most important: my OC has become a Mary-Sue. Like, explicitly so. Therefore, I am discontinuing it.

****

I am also discontinuing Fascinating, sorta-ish. I might update it one day, but not really. I don't like the story line anymore, too many OCs that I need to keep track of, too much work lol.

_Hiatuses:_

Leola is going on a hiatus. I WILL continue it….one day…

_New Stories: _

These are my plans:

I intend to write a new Twilight story. This is pretty much going to be a newer/edited version of Fascinating. If you read my Twilight fic then you'll probably see a lot of similar themes and whatnot in my new story, but it's a new story… Here's a small summary:

The girl (I'm thinking of Lily as a name) will be human and living with her mother in Forks. Her parents are divorced and her father lives in Greece along with a majority of her family. She moved to Forks with her mother the summer before her junior year of high school. So Lily and the Cullens meet way before Bella moves to Forks. (Bella is in the story, and she moves to Forks around March/April, I believe that's when she moved in the books and movie). Lily's mother starts to date a pack member from La Push since he imprinted on her. Lily has her suspicions. Follows the books way more than the movies.

So the pairings will be **Edward/Lily** (OC_) [MAIN],_ one sided** Jacob/Lily** (OC) _[SORT OF MAIN__**],**_** Bella/Mike** **Newton** [_BARELY MENTIONED_], **Lily's Mother (OC)/Some Pack Member Man (OC)**_ [NOT AS MAIN AS EDWARD/LILY/JACOB BUT IMPORTANT TO STORY] _and then the normal pairings.

***

I want to write another Twilight were the OC is a vampire. It'll be **an EdwardxOC, BellaxJacob**, and the rest of the normal pairings. Basic idea:

The vampire (I haven't decided on her name yet) was turned but left alone. She was turned way before Edward but after Carlisle. She and Carlisle meet and he introduces her to his vegetarian dieting ways. She meets Edward during his time of the Spanish Influenza. Edward is then turned by Carlisle. She helps Edward through his newborn year, but as he does in the books, Edward becomes rebellious and is all like, F*ck being a vampire. Not really but you get it. After some time Edward returns and some other stiff happens and then they arrive in Forks with all of the Cullens. Then Bella arrives…

***

I want to make another True Blood EricxOC story… the main character's grandfather helped create the synthetic blood…and she has a part in the industry…that's all I really know…

***

Another Naruto story is something I really want to write… it'll be during Shippuuden and it will be a SasukexOC…or maybe a Sasuke/OC/Naruto…

_About the stories I am discontinuing:_

If you wish to, you may continue my stories **(Only Regret and Fascinating)**.

Of course I want you to just private message me and ask for my permission (which I will give, I have no reason to say no, but just ask anyway, it's the polite thing to do).

You may use my characters **(Only Regret and Fascinating) **and once again, just private message me before doing any writing.

All I ask, that if you do use my characters/ideas/stories just mention me in your disclaimer or Author's note or whatever. Simply these characters/stories/blah blah blah come from xDarkxStormxCloudsx.

I'll be more than happy to help with anything as well…

and btw, i bought a new laptop with the moeny i won from playing BINGO sometime last year! :D $700 babbbaaayyyyyy!!! 3

lol, not that it really matters...just saying....


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